


The Path Less Traveled

by ApolloGeek27



Category: The Founder of Diabolism, The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù, 魔道祖师 | Módào Zǔshī (Cartoon), 魔道祖师 | Módào Zǔshī - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Blood and Gore, Character Death, Chinese Culture, Chinese Mythology & Folklore, Disclaimer: Nothing Is Mine Except The Story, Disturbing Themes, F/F, F/M, Family Feels, Forced Prostitution, Gender Change, Implied/Referenced Depression, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Pedophilia, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Killing Off The Fetus, M/M, Mild Language, National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255, Original Character(s), Pictures And Music Included, References From Other Media, Reincarnation, SI!Wei Wuxian (Wei Ying), Sexual & Non-Sexual Slavery, Slave Fighters, Slytherin For The Win!, Torture, Ultimate Lesbian Power Couple, Xianxia/Wuxia Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-18
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-07-12 03:27:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 54,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15986645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ApolloGeek27/pseuds/ApolloGeek27
Summary: She went into an eternal sleep by her own hands. The weight of the angry glares, sparse words, and disappointed eyes shrouding her heart. She didn't want to wake up. But life never listened. The next time she opened her eyes, she greeted the new world as another person.She would have accepted this arrangement and just endure as she had always done in the past but . . . why was she a guy?! No, who cares about that, why was she Wei Wuxian? Wasn't he some manhua character in a popular boy's love story? Why the hell was she reincarnated as this guy?! She demands a refund, please. At least let her be reincarnated as someone who wasn't being pressed down in the manhua all the time!Now, the newly reincarnated Wei Ying must go through life avoiding all the pitfalls his manhua-self went through and try to stay alive. Not to mention the fact that he also needs to protect his precious chrysanthemum (asshole) from the prodigious young master Lan Wangji. Ah, isn't death supposed to be more peaceful than this!?





	1. An Eternal Rest

**Author's Note:**

> The Road Not Taken  
> By Robert Frost 
> 
> Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,  
> And sorry I could not travel both  
> And be one traveler, long I stood  
> And looked down one as far as I could  
> To where it bent in the undergrowth;
> 
> Then took the other, as just as fair,  
> And having perhaps the better claim,  
> Because it was grassy and wanted wear;  
> Though as for that the passing there  
> Had worn them really about the same,
> 
> And both that morning equally lay  
> In leaves no step had trodden black.  
> Oh, I kept the first for another day!  
> Yet knowing how way leads on to way,  
> I doubted if I should ever come back.
> 
> I shall be telling this with a sigh  
> Somewhere ages and ages hence:  
> Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—  
> I took the one less traveled by,  
> And that has made all the difference.

It wasn't a car crash. There was no blaring ambulance. No screams or gasps. No crowds or colorful blurs in her vision. Her muscles didn't spasm in protest nor did her body ache in agony. Glass didn't pierce her skin. Her blood didn't splatter against the pavement. No headlines for the newspapers.

It wasn't a murder. There was overwhelming force nor was there a deep-bone fear. There was no sharp pain or even a darkening vision. There was no murderer nor a victim. No struggle or even a bit of rebellion. Her life didn't pass before her eyes. No crime was committed.

It wasn't a simple slip-and-crash. Gravity did not embrace her. The hardwood floor did not punish her fragile body. There was no silent despair. No tears of loneliness. She did not curse the heavens or even lament on her pitiful situation. No heart was bitter.

Instead, she laid in her bed. An open, empty bottle of sleeping pills laid in her hands. Her droopy eyes closed in relief, her tired body sagging into the comfort of her mattress. A gentle lullaby of fond memories and sweet nothings accompanied her to her final rest.

It was not messy. It was not dramatic. It was not an accident. Her death was a silent goodbye to the world. It was a final glimpse of her face before she slipped away. Her only companions to guide her were nonsensical dreams and quiet nightmares. 

She died with a soft smile on her face. Safe in the knowledge that her torment and suffering would end. That only a blissful state of nonexistence shall meet her soul. Unfortunately, life is never so kind as to grant the wishes of those who want peace.

* * *

She opened her eyes slowly. It seemed that her attempt for peace was unsuccessful. However, when she saw a wooden ceiling above her head instead of the expected ceramic white tiles, she blinked in confusion. It was to her understanding that when a suicide attempt generally failed, the victim would be transported to a hospital to be under professional watch. But the fact that she was deposited in a simple wooden room seemed contrary to expectation.

She was about to move from her initial position on the bed when, suddenly, an excruciating headache attacked her from out of nowhere. She curled up into a ball, tears slipping passed her clenched eyelids. She gritted her teeth together, holding back the scream that was threatening to burst free. Her hands pressed against her head, desperately trying to force the pain to go away.

Minutes, hours, or days could have passed by and she wouldn't have even noticed. All that held her attention was the agonizing pain that was reverberating in her mind. Soon the pain slowly faded away. Her exhausted body slumped on the bed she was on. She stabilized her breathing, taking in deep breaths. It was only after a few minutes that she began to come back to herself. By the time she was finally in a calm state of mind, she started to assimilate the unexpected influx of foreign memories.

It seems that she had truly died. However, instead of becoming an nonexistent object, she was reincarnated into the body of a male toddler. The fact that she was a . . . male was rather odd. However, compared to her previous assumption that she would have become a nonexistent object, it was not really too much of a change to confirm to. Though, now she should probably start to refer to herself in male pronouns. It would be bad if she- he -slipped up in front of his parents.  

Speaking of parents, it seems that he was reincarnated into Ancient China. His parents had fair Asian features and wore clothing that matched the depictions of Ancient Chinese attire. Then there is also the fact that they spoke in a dialect that highly resembled modern mandarin. The only thing that was strange about the whole setting was what his parents did for a living.

From what he could pierce together from his infantile memories, it seems as if his mother and father were traveling priests. This was highly unusual. Women in Ancient China generally did not become priests. Not to mention the fact that the people who met Mother would always give her the highest authority on priestly duties despite Father standing right next to her. If that wasn't strange then there was also the weird occurrence of people referring to Mother and Father as cultivators. 

When he thought about cultivators, what came to mind was the Chinese cultivation novels he used to read back in college. The cultivators in the novels were either incredible superhumans or bloodthirsty killers. Thus it was something that he couldn't really associate with his parents who seemed so . . . well, normal.

But this information wasn't really vital to him currently. It was probably a cultural thing that he wouldn't understand as a non-native resident. The most important thing, now, was the fact that he was given a second chance at life with a fairly loving family and a new, prospective future ahead of him. He had wanted to die in the past due to the previous shitty situation his life was in, but now that an opportunity like this has landed in front of him . . . he might actually have the chance to be genuinely happy this time.

Ah~ Maybe being reincarnated wasn't so bad after all.


	2. A Family Of Three

The door to the room opened. A beautiful, young woman stepped in with a graceful gait. Her _ruqun_ (women attire) was pure snow white with an ocean teal highlight and splashes of bright cherry red to complete the design. Looking at her, it was as if a divine koi fish took mortal form. Her luscious brown hair was pinned up to her head in a bun with a simple yet elegant jade pin holding it in place. Her soft grey eyes twinkled in a lively manner, enhancing her beauty. A lovely smile was painted on her face.

Upon seeing this woman, he slowly slipped into the mindset of a toddler. "Mother!" He cried out with joy. His hands automatically lifted up in a silent plea to be picked up. The women's smile became even more lovely as she strolled into the room and casually gathered him into her arms. "Did _A_ -Ying (term of endearment) miss Mother?" Mother asked. He- Wei Ying -nodded his head seriously, a pout forming on his cherubic face.

"I missed Mother very much!" Wei Ying declared solemnly. 

"Oh, so A-Ying only missed Mother, huh? What about Father? Does A-Ying not care for his Father at all?" A pleasant voice asked in a hurt tone. Coming up behind Mother was Father.

Compared to Mother whose beauty could topple nations, Father was very ordinary. Father wore a lake blue _daopao_ (men attire) with bold strokes of sunlight yellow and vines of moonlight silver curling around his form. His long black hair was put in a simple ponytail with his short bangs framing his chiseled face. His brown eyes were sharp in focus on the two most important people in his life. Despite his looks paling in comparison to his wife, he was still what most people would call mildly handsome. It was a wonder, though, how such an ordinary face could attract a gorgeous beauty.

Wei Ying turned to his Father in alarm. "No, no, I love Father! I love both Mother and Father very much! I missed both of you!" Wei Ying said in distress. Father smiled at Wei Ying's flustered face. Mother hit Father lightly, laughter in her eyes. "Ah, what a terrible person you are, Wei Changze. Bullying your only son like that, how cruel!" Mother said in bemusement.

Father- Wei Changze -raised a brow. "Oh, and who was it that tricked A-Ying into thinking that he was abandoned that one time, Cangse-Sanren?" Wei Changze asked with a smirk.

Mother- Cangse-Sanren -blushed furiously. "Oh, y-you horrible man! That was one time. Will you ever let go of the past?" Cangse-Sanren asked in embarrassment.

While his parents took off their attention from him, Wei Ying took this opportunity to assimilate more of his adult personality into his current personality. Right now, Wei Ying's personality was split into two sections: his adult personality and his child personality. Because he only remembered his past life in a sudden moment rather than in fragmented segments, it will be hard to adjust to his situation and become Wei Ying. There is also a high possibility that Wei Ying would get a personality disorder if he didn't assimilate quickly enough in his body. So in order to discard that possibility from the plane of reality, he is quickly but efficiently fusing his two personalities together to create one, stable Wei Ying.

It might take some time due to the emotional issues that would pop up from his past life but Wei Ying was always a person who could endure hardships. He would be able to overcome this hurdle as long as he has a future ahead of him. Besides, he always did have great emotional fortitude.

Wei Ying soon brought his attention back to his parents when they mentioned him by name. Cangse-Sanren had a serious look on her face and said, "Wei Changze, I know that you don't want to hear this but I think I should say it anyway. I think its time for A-Ying to come with us on a night hunt."

Wei Changze's eyes widen in surprise before narrowing down in anger. "Cangse-Sanren! I thought we both agreed that A-Ying shouldn't come on a night hunt with us until he reaches cultivation age." Wei Changze said roughly.

Cangse-Sanren sighed. "I know that. But we can't just leave A-Ying at the inn anymore. I worry about him staying in the room everyday all alone. That's not good for him." Cangse-Sanren explained.

Wei Changze stubbornly held on. "Still, not even the little Jiang Heir has gone with his parents for a night hunt. Why should our child go?" 

"I want to go!" 

At the unexpected shout, both Cangse-Sanren and Wei Changze turned to face the child in question. Upon having the angry and surprised gazes of both his parents on him, Wei Ying shrunk a little in on himself. He regretted shouting that out on an impulse but his child personality had the better hold over his body. He really needed to assimilate quickly.

"I-I don't want to be alone anymore! It's boring waiting for Mother and Father here all the time. I also want to go and help in the night hunt." Wei Ying said.

Wei Changze was about to say something but his wife interrupted him. "Then its decided. Tomorrow, A-Ying will be brought out on his first night hunt." Cangse-Sanren declared solemnly.

Wei Changze sputtered incomprehensibly. 

* * *

Wei Ying munched on his _tang hulu_ (caramelized fruit) as he watched his Mother coax his Father into talking to her again. Ever since Cangse-Sanren closed the argument with that final, decisive answer, Wei Changze has refused to talk to her. Cangse-Sanren would always spout reasons like 'When I was A-Ying's age, _Shifu_ (teacher) took me on night hunts!' and 'This is just an early start for him!' to validate her decision. Despite this, Wei Changze still gave her the cold shoulder.

It was slightly amusing to see his parents like this. From as far as he can recall in his memories, his parents never really fought at all. They always had an harmonious relationship. This was a new experience for him to see.

It was also heartwarming, though. The fact that his Father was so concerned about his safety that he would stand up to Mother was . . . amazing.

Wei Changze, when it came to his wife, was a pushover. He was a person who would go along with the whims of those he was close to. Not to mention that he was naturally dense and gullible. Underneath his naïve and pure behavior, however, was a determined, hardworking, and reliable man. 

Mother was a contrast to Father. Cangse-Sanren was a mischievous and free-spirited person. She loved teasing those who are close to her and was often possessive of those she liked. She was a head strong and independent women. Behind her outspoken personality, though, was a talented person who could have taken the world by storm. 

Because of the differing personalities and looks, it was quite puzzling for the cultivation world when Cangse-Sanren chose Wei Changze as her husband. Many people did not understand why Cangse-Sanren wanted to marry Wei Changze. But seeing how Mother was trying so hard to please Father, it just proved to him that Mother truly loved Father. And from the way Father would turn around to peek at Mother when she didn't notice, it seems that the sentiment is returned.

"I am glad that Mother and Father love each other very much. I am very blessed to be born to such a harmonious couple." Wei Ying slyly said.

This caused Wei Changze to turn around and face both mother and son, flustered at hearing his son say something so silly. Cangse-Sanren blinked in surprised at the words before smiling gratefully. Her little son was really intelligent, ah. Saying something embarrassing to trick his father into finally facing her. Just for that, this mother will buy her son anything he wants for today.

Wei Changze opened his mouth then closed it, at a loss for what to say. He then took a breath and sighed in defeat. "I . . . I'm just worried, Cangse-Sanren. You and I both know how dangerous night hunts are. Bringing A-Ying into such a dangerous activity when he can't even cultivate isn't such a good idea." Wei Changze said.

"I know. But don't worry, dear husband of mine. You and I will be right by his side. Besides Shifu also took Yanling- _ge_ (brother) and Xiao- _di_ (little brother) on night hunts when they were A-Ying's age." Cangse-Sanren reassured Wei Changze.

Wei Changze twisted his lips in displeasure before slowly accepting his wife's words. "Fine. There have been rumors that there is _Jiangshi_ (Chinese Vampires) lurking in the city of Guangdong. It's not far off from where we are now. We can take A-Ying on this night hunt since we are only facing a Jiangshi. All we have to do is take our usual precautions and put a protective array around A-Ying. After that, we're all set." Wei Changze explained seriously.

Cangse-Sanren's eyes sparkled in admiration. "Ah~ My husband is so talented! Isn't that right, A-Ying?" Cangse-Sanren turned to ask Wei Ying. Wei Ying smiled cutely and nodded his head in agreement. "En!"

Wei Changze sighed in exasperation. But then he gently smiled at the scene that the mother and son were making. Cangse-Sanren might have been a troublesome person when he first met her but she has really changed to a joyful and loving mother.

Seeing his son playing around with a youthful innocence around him made him grateful for all the fortune in his life. Wei Changze knew that even if trouble occurred with the night hunt, as long as his family was safe, he'll be happy.

* * *

 **Extra:** How Cangse-Sanren And Wei Changze Met

Cangse-Sanren sighed in relief as she slowly sank into the natural hot spring that she managed to find upon chance. It's been a couple of weeks since she descended from the immortal mountain that she used to reside in with her teacher and her brothers. At first, she had been excited about going down to the mortal realm. After all, it was the first time she had been allowed to go down the mountain since she became a disciple of Baoshan-Sanren. _Shifu_ (Teacher) never let any of her disciples visit the mortal realm. She would always say that the mortal realm was a distraction in their cultivation path.

But then Yanling-ge decided to take his Spiritual Journey in the mortal realm before trying for Ascension. When Yanling-ge came back, he was already half-way done in completing the Ascension Trials. Shifu finally decided then to let her disciples go down the mountain for their Spiritual Journey.

Now, Cangse-Sanren was ready to take her Spiritual Journey. However, it wasn't as exciting as she thought it would be. Many of the cultivators that she met on her journey would always try and flirt with her. And when they find out that her teacher was Baoshan-Sanren, they would try and kiss up to her. It was tiring being surrounded all the times by perverts and fakes. Often times she would have to beat up many of her persistent suitors when they wouldn't leave her alone.

Cangse-Sanren just wished that she could meet someone who wouldn't try and curry favor with her. She wants someone who was true to themselves and with others. She wanted someone who would help her and talk to her because they were genuinely nice people. She just . . . she just wanted a friend.

Cangse-Sanren closed her grey eyes and sunk deeper down into the hot spring. After a while, she heard a strange noise. She opened her eyes at the sound. It sounded like flute. Cangse-Sanren frowned in puzzlement. Who would be playing the flute in the middle of the woods?

Cangse-Sanren swiftly walked out from the hot spring and covered her wet, naked body with her thin inner robe. She left her belongings in the hollow of the tree next to the hot spring, secure in the knowledge that only a demon from hell would be able to steal her belongings from the barrier she erected when she went to bathe herself. She silently navigated through the forest, heading in the direction of the flute player. She ended up coming out near a small clearing. 

There was a man who was seated on a stump in front of her. His purple-clothed back was facing her direction. A beautiful lotus was displayed on his clothes. In his hands was a finely carved flute. His black hair was tied up in a hightail with a simple rope, indicating his servant status.

But that was not what held her attention. Cangse-Sanren instead focused on the music he was producing. The melody he played on the flute was heart-retching. The pure emotion that he expressed through the song almost brought tears to her eyes. 

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LHwarMbDyY> 

The song soon came to an end. It was then Cangse-Sanren decided to make a choice that was going to change the course of her life.

"That song was really good!"

Wei Changze, upon hearing the unexpected praise, turned around swiftly. His boyish face was set in an expression of surprise. His brown eyes landed on a figure in pure white standing a few meters behind him. He was about to ask the figure who they were before their appearance finally registered in his brain.

The woman- and it was undoubtedly a woman - was wearing a thin white robe that didn't bother to hide her luscious curves nor her bountiful chest. Her white robe was semi-transparent due to the water that clung to her body and her face was flushed a lovely red from the breeze that swept by. Her wet brown hair stuck closely to her face and her eyes glimmered in the sunlight. It was as if a goddess descended from the heavens.

However, for the innocent Wei Changze who never had any experience with the opposite sex, it was as if he was seeing a scarlet woman trying to seduce him into depravity. Something that his father sternly warned him against. So, instead of trying to take advantage of the indecent, beautiful woman as many other male cultivators would have done in his position, Wei Changze took the only action that made the most sense at that time. He screamed.

"You . . . You shameless woman! Put some clothes on!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If any of the readers have any questions about the story please comment. I will respond to the comments as soon as I am able to.
> 
> ~ ApolloGeek27


	3. The Night Hunt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Decapitation

The sun was slowly setting down, washing the forest in hues of orange, red, and purple. Stars began to emerge from their silent isolation, greeting the night sky like an dearly missed friend. A gentle wind blew through the woods, whispering of an impending confrontation to all tranquil creatures dwelling there. 

Wei Ying was seated down in the middle of a protective array with spiraling designs of archaic and unearthly symbols surrounding him. His light grey eyes swirled around him in fascination, taking in the scenery of the forest at night. His curly black hair was tied in a child's pigtail, making his appearance look very precious. His small form was clothed in a jade green, rainy blue, and royal red _zhiju_ (men's attire) made for children.

Wei Ying watched as Father waited for Mother to come back with the Jiangshi. 

It was interesting how his parents were taking the threat of the Jiangshi so seriously. For a person of the 21st Century, things like vampires or zombies were simply figments of a child's imagination. In fact, the only supernatural creatures he knew about were all from Twilight. And those supernatural creatures didn't seem all that frightening.

Still, his parents took their jobs as priests very seriously. They gave him talismans for protection and safety. They even scouted out where the Jiangshi were 'supposedly' spotted at. And now they're exploring the premises. Wei Ying highly doubted that they would find a Jiangshi. At worst, they would find nothing at all. At best, they would probably find the culprit behind the sightings in Guangdong.

Wei Ying didn't feel too worried. He knew that his parent were capable of protecting themselves. After all, if they weren't capable of that, then why would they be carrying swords? It was still weird, though, to see his parents carrying swords with them. He never really noticed them whenever he was with his parents, but then, normal parents wouldn't let their young children near swords. Still, seeing his parents carrying swords with them really hit the point on how dangerous Ancient China was. He had always read about how casual murder and death was back in the past but experiencing it was a whole other story.   

"A-Ying, are you okay?" Father asked. Wei Ying nodded. "I'm fine. Father, when will Mother come back from scouting?" He asked. 

Wei Changze looked at his son and silently marveled. His son was so young, yet he still had the maturity to prioritize the task-at-hand over his own feelings. This was probably the difference between those who were born from cultivation families versus those who were born from mortals. Cultivation families always did have a slower age rate and a higher intellect than normal people. Wei Ying's slow age rate and high intellect was even more superior than those who were from established cultivation families. This was mostly due to the fact that his mother was an Ascension-level cultivator. A rare stage for most cultivators to reach. 

As a mortal who was taken in by the Yunmeng Jiang Sect to be the personal servant of their heir (now Sect Leader), Jiang Fengmian, it was a huge cultural shock for him to actually see how cultivators aged. For cultivators, five years of a mortal's regular lifespan is only equated to one year of a cultivator's life. Which is why it wasn't such an unusual occurrence to visually see a toddler with the intellect of a young child. Still, it often surprised him when his son did something that did not match up with his appearance.  

"Father?" 

Wei Changze was brought out from his silent reverie and came back to the present. "Ah, sorry A-Ying. It seems that I went off in a trance again. Hahaha. Your mother will come back soon. Once she comes back, you must stay inside the protective array at all times. Under no circumstances will you leave this array, understand?" Wei Changze asked seriously.

Wei Ying nodded his head in affirmation. He personally thought that nothing exciting will really happen. After all, it's not like he's in a cultivation novel. He might have been reincarnated with his memories intact but just because that happened doesn't mean that any other miracles would happen as well.  

* * *

Wei Ying was about to nod off when Father suddenly tensed up from his spot at the trunk of a tree. A stray breeze passed by. Wei Ying felt his skin rise up in goosebumps. The sound of muffled thumps came from the East. The same direction that Mother had went to scout. A couple of bushels started to shake in agitation before worryingly falling silent. Right when Wei Ying was about to call out for his father, Mother jumped out from the bushes.

Her face was flushed from running, eyes glowing with an intoxicating thrill. Her clothes were disheveled, branches and twigs sticking out everywhere. A grin of excitement covered up half of her face. Mother, at that very moment, truly lived up to the image of a wild beauty.

But that wasn't what Wei Ying focused on. No, what truly grabbed his attention were the figures behind his mother. There were a total of six figures chasing after her. Two of them wore elaborate-looking clothing with patterns of sunflowers on them, the other three wore elegant scholar robes in blue, and the last person wore a financial official's formal wear. The only thing that all six people had in common was the worn, dirty paper talismans that were stuck on their faces. 

Looking closer at the figures, Wei Ying discovered something that made his face pale. They were rotting corpses! All of them were _rotting corpses_! The paper talismans might have hid most of their face but the hollow cheeks and sunken white eyes were easily seen. The figures' hands were outstretched in a wide arc, showing off their rotting flesh with insects and fungus festering on them. Their nails were a ugly black, matching with the dark blue veins that stood out against their pale, cold skin. 

They were hopping like drunken frogs, hot on Mother's trail. However, when they entered the clearing, a few of the corpses split off from the pursuit. And instead, went to hunt the other, more accessible prey.

Wei Ying didn't move a muscle. He didn't blink. He didn't breathe. There were zombies. There were _zombies_. There were _actual_ , _real life_ , _breathing_ zombies. Wei Ying felt his small body trembling. His hands were shaking. His heart pounded like thunderous war drums. His eyes were dilated, not showing a single color in his pupil. His body grew cold and listless.   

An oppressive atmosphere settled over the clearing. The night grew darker. The light from the stars faded away in the blackness. All that was left was a silver of moonlight.

The Jiangshi attacked fiercely with a reckless abandon. Their bodies twisted and turned in abnormal ways. The snaps of bones and the splatter of blood was all that echoed out through the forest. All that occupied the creature's minds was intense desire . . . desire to _consume_. To _extinguish_. To _kill_.

Wei Changze leaped from his perch on the tree and rushed forward in the direction of the restless corpses. He unsheathed his sword, _Bì Nàn Suǒ_ (Sanctuary), and clashed with the three Jiangshi. He dodged a swipe from one of the Jiangshi and kicked another in the face while Bi Nan Suo blocked a surprise attack from the flank. He then twirled around and ducked under the grab of the Jiangshi he had kicked away. His sword flashed quickly and took the head of one of the corpses. However, the remaining two undead took this chance to gang up on him by attacking from both sides simultaneously.  Despite this, his form was swift and elegant. His face was set in a serious expression, and resolution to stop the dead shined brightly from his eyes. His conduct truly payed homage to his title as a cultivator. 

Meanwhile, Cangse-Sanren led the other Jiangshi on a merry chase around the clearing. She would slip in and out from between the two Jiangshi, often pushing them around with the sheath of her sword, _Yù Zhao_ (Harbinger). The corpses would try and slash at her form, only to miss and hit one another instead. When the dead tried to leave from the ensnarement that she kept them in, Cangse-Sanren would often kick them back in line. From time to time, a peal of laughter would escape her lips. Cangse-Sanren always did love to play with her enemies. It might have been disrespectful to centuries of old traditions that were passed down to cultivators, but this playful behavior illustrated just how powerful she truly was.

Wei Ying watched in awe as his parents fought the undead with an ease that spoke of years of experience. His body slowly stopped shaking, the feeling of safety calmed him down. His blood flow regained its normal cycle while his eyes slowly went back to its previous form. He began to breathe lightly, the shocking scene slowly loosing its luster.

He couldn't believe it- zombies existed. Or, no, it wasn't that zombies existed. No, it was that his parents were actually cultivators. _Cultivators_. Not only did he reincarnate back in time but he also reincarnated into a _freaking_ fantasy world. This . . . this was a little too much for him. But he steadily took the information in bit by bit. Thank god for the fact that he was in a child's body. Only a child would be able to accept the amount of bullshit that had come his way.

Still, what the hell. The place that he was born in was already dangerous. But now he has to look out for man-eating corpses, ghouls, and ghosts?! If it wasn't for the fact that he was in a dangerous situation right now, he would have had a mental breakdown earlier. After all, the only reason he was calm about being reincarnated as a boy in Ancient China was because his expectations were so low when he died. Nothing could truly faze him anymore. But, zombies? Ghouls? Ghosts? Those were things that came out of his fucking nightmares. It's gonna take a few more days before he can get over that _shock_.

Speaking of ghosts . . . where was the sixth corpse?

Wei Ying shivered. The hairs of his neck rose up. He heard something breathing heavily behind him. Wei Ying didn't want to turn around. A small voice in his head said that if he did, he wouldn't like what he sees. However, Wei Ying slowly turned around, fighting against his instincts, and looked back.

Behind him was the sixth corpse. Its white eyes stared at him with extreme hunger. Its mouth was open wide, giving Wei Ying a glimpse of its yellow teeth and maggot-filled tongue. Its lips were blue with a black sludge coming out from it. This close to the corpse, Wei Ying could see that the paper talisman had the word 'Peace' written on it.

The undead watched Wei Ying for some time. After a few minutes of staring, the Jiangshi shot out its bony hand towards him with the intention of wringing his neck. Wei Ying fell down on the ground, primal fear causing adrenaline to pump out through his body. The pale hand came closer and closer to him, like a speed bullet. Wei Ying's eyes started to water in tears and his breath became ragged. He was going to die. _He was going to die_. However, before the Jiangshi could even touch Wei Ying, the protective array that he was in activated and burnt the Jiangshi's hand. The corpse hissed out in anger and took a few steps back from the array.

Wei Ying, seeing this, sighed in relief. A few stray tears fell down his face. He almost died. Again. But, he almost _died_. It was horrible. To see that hand coming towards him knowing full well that he wouldn't be able to stop it, that he couldn't stop it. He was helpless as he sat on the floor. He didn't fear death. After all, he died before. What he feared, however, was the helplessness of the situation. The fact that he wasn't dying on his own terms, by his own rules. It wasn't something that he could accept. He . . . he never wanted to feel like that ever again.

A sudden slam brought his attention back to the Jiangshi. The corpse began to attempt to cross over the protective array. Every try only singed the creature's arms. But the repeated attempts began to affect Wei Ying, too. He felt the itchy sensation of fire ants crawling underneath his skin. His body started to heat up like a volcano. His blood was boiling in his veins. The more the corpse slammed into the array, the more the strange sensation became stronger. 

Finally, the corpse broke the array. Its form headed straight for Wei Ying. Wei Ying couldn't scream, he couldn't utter a single noise. He was too petrified. However, seeing the incoming danger, his body reacted on its own. The hot, itchy feeling became a burning inferno. His heart beat thumped about in a raging panic. His right hand automatically rose up, and slapped the corpse's approaching head.

A loud bang echoed throughout the forest.

In front of Wei Ying, the suddenly headless Jiangshi stood still for a few minutes. As if it couldn't comprehend what transpired. However, time caught up, soon the headless Jiangshi fell to the ground awkwardly. Dark red blood splashed onto Wei Ying's face from the corpse's neck, painting a gruesome picture. Wei Ying stared blankly at the creature, mind blank and empty. The burning inferno from before cooled down into a pleasant, warm current that soothed the ache from his right hand. Wei Ying gazed at the blood that began to spread out from the corpse.

He . . . he killed it. He really killed it. He killed something. He killed someone. He killed _someone_.

His hands began to shake. His throat was clogged with the turbulent emotions that he was experiencing at the moment. Tears fell down his cheeks and his breathing became irregular by the minute. Slowly, his eyes began to darken around the edges and the noises in the night became a blur. The last thing he heard was a scream of 'A-Ying!' before he was fully embraced in the dark.

* * *

Wei Ying woke up alone. He was in the inn room that his parents payed for before they went night hunting. It was dark, showing that he must have only passed out for a few hours. He slowly sat up and touched his face gently. Just as he thought, the blood that covered his face was all cleaned up. Even the clothes he wore was different from before. Though the color scheme didn't change at all. 

Wei Ying's thoughts slowly drifted to what happened from before. Zombies existed. He was in a cultivation world. His parents were honest-to-god wanna-be immortals. And he killed someone. 

. . . Well, it seems that reincarnation was more exciting then he thought it would be.

Wei Ying dazedly stared at his hands. He felt empty. The type of emptiness that he used to feel before he killed himself. As if there was nothing that could fill in the hole in his soul. His body was languid. His breath was faint. He should be feeling something. But there was nothing. His mind was blank. He was alive but, somehow, it felt as if he wasn't even there.

The door to the room opened.

"A-Ying!" Cangse-Sanren yelled. Her eyes were filled with tears of relief as she rushed forth to scoop her son into her embrace. She was very worried. When she was fighting the Jiangshi, she didn't notice that one of them slipped away while she was playing with the others. So, when she heard a loud bang come in the direction of where A-Ying was, she was surprised and concerned. Immediately, she turned around and was met with a scene that would haunt her soul for years.

Her precious child sat on the floor, blood covering his tiny form. A corpse above him, its hands outstretched as if to swallow him whole. In that one moment, Cangse-Sanren felt her heart stop. But then it resumed beating once the corpse fell down like a broken marionette on strings. However, what happened next almost made her lose her mind.

A-Ying's fragile form slumped down. It was as if his soul gently floated away to King Yama's hold. Cangse-Sanren screamed in horror. By then, Wei Changze had realized that something went wrong. Before he could check the situation, however, the Jiangshi attacked once more. 

Cangse-Sanren, at that time, unsheathed Yù Zhao and slaughtered the corpses in her way. After that, she quickly rushed forth to envelop her son's still form. If it wasn't for the faint breathing, Cangse-Sanren would have destroyed everything in a 25-foot radius.  

When Wei Changze finished dealing with the Jiangshi, he turned around only to see his beautiful wife crying while gently holding the still form of his son. It was enough to almost cause him to collapse. Thankfully, A-Ying was still alive.

Wei Changze, coming behind Cangse-Sanren, enclosed both his wife and son in his arms. His back faced the door, as if guarding the people in his hold from all danger. His face was pale and haggard. He looked as if death had warmed him over. "A-Ying. A-Ying. Oh, A-Ying! Father is so sorry. Father loves you. Father loves you so very much. Father is sorry." Wei Changze muttered miserably. The warmth of his family invaded his senses, and comforted him. They were alive. They were _alive_ , and _safe_ , and _here_.

Wei Ying, encircled between the arms of both his parents, finally started to cry like the child he was. Surrounded by the affection and concern of two of the most important people in his life, he finally let go of all the fear and pain and heart ache he kept inside his soul. The fear of being helpless. Of dying in the arms of a corpse. Alone, without his parents to come and save him. The pain of killing himself. Of being used and abused by the world. Never accepted, but only in the arms of death. And the relief. The pure relief he felt for being _alive_ , for being _loved_ , for being in a place he can call _home_. All of these emotions poured out from him in tidal waves.  

"Father! Mother! A-Ying . . . was so scared. A-Ying was . . . so frightened." Wei Ying sobbed out. 

"Shush, shush. It's okay, A-Ying. Mother is here. Mother is here. Mother won't let anything happened to you. Mother promises." Cangse-Sanren softly whispered. Tears stained her face. Her hold on her son tightened. She buried her face in his hair and breathed in the reassuring smell of cinnamon. Her baby boy was here. He was alive. He was still _alive_. 

The small family of three sat in the dark room. Taking solace in each other's presence. Entangled together, love and affection freely given. They took this brief moment to take in each other.

They were _alive_.

They were _safe_.

They were _here_.

. . . And, they were _together_. 

* * *

 **Extra:** How Wei Changze Got His Sword 

Today was the day. The day that Wei Changze has been waiting for since he was brought over to the Yunmeng Jiang Sect. Today was the day that Wei Changze, the personal servant of Jiang Fengmian, would finally get his very own spiritual sword.

Traditionally, servants would not have access to any weapons due to the distrust that many noblemen had for their social class. However, Wei Changze was not a normal servant. When Wei Changze was brought over to the Yunmeng Jiang Sect, he was taken in with the intention of being a playmate and the future right-hand man to the Jiang Heir. This was because he had the most potential out of all of the mortals in Lotus Pier to cultivate. Because of that, he studied cultivation alongside the Young Master. So it wasn't that surprising for him to know that he will acquire his very own spiritual sword.

Still, it was exciting. Wei Changze, after years of training, will finally become a true cultivator. He will break the chains that hold him down to the earth and attempt to ascend to the heavens. He will carry on the noble intentions of thousands of cultivators and bring peace to all those who are ensnared by the darkness of humanity. He will fulfill his duty and grow to become someone worthy of standing by Young Master's side. He will finally become the person that he had always wanted to be.

That was why he was currently waiting outside the sword smith's shop at six in the morning. 

Wei Changze smiled when the sword smith, Shao Guofeng, came out from his shop and switched the sign from 'Close' to 'Open'. "Ah! Master Shao, how are you today?" Wei Changze asked merrily. Shao Guofeng, who didn't expect to see anyone at the shop until the eleven o'clock rush hour, jumped in shock.

"Gah! Wha- Mr. Wei! What are you doing here at such an early hour?" Shao Guofeng questioned. "Well, I came here to pick up my order." Wei Changze answered. He scratched the side of his head in embarrassment.

Shao Guofeng sighed in exasperation. Usually cultivators acted all high and mighty in the presence of mortals, but Wei Changze always seemed abnormal in that aspect. If one were to describe him, it would be that he reminded them of a puppy. He was very innocent and curious about many things. Not to mention that he was always eager to help people or play with others. It shouldn't have been surprising to see him at the shop so early, but then he wouldn't have been Wei Changze otherwise.      

"Fine. Mr. Wei, please wait here while I bring your sword to you." Shao Guofeng said. He then went inside the store and headed towards the forge. At the corner of the forge, rested a bundle of swords for the cultivators of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect. Shao Guofeng approached the bundle and pulled out the sword he personally crafted for Wei Changze. He then swiftly walked out to the eagerly waiting youth.

Wei Changze reverently grasped the sword that Master Shao handed him. He finally got his sword! He eyed the plain, black sheath with a feeling of wonder. At the top of the sheath was a beautiful silver inscription of Bì Nàn Suǒ. The hilt of the Mian Dao sword was silver and covered in a deep blue cloth. When Wei Changze unsheathed the sword, it glowed like a silver lily. Wei Changze, feeling the tranquil aura that the sword emitted, smiled gently and whispered to his new companion.  

"With you, I will bring _Sanctuary_ to all who despair." 

 

* * *

 **Extra:** How Cangse-Sanren Got Her Sword

Cangse-Sanren sat in one of the numerous caves of _Xiān Nǚ Shān_ (Fairy Mountain), the immortal mountain that she lived in. On her lap laid a thick wad of steel, unpolished and untouched. Surrounding her were talismans made of star silk and spirit beads made from sun glass. In front of her, laid a moonstone shining with a bright presence. She was gathering the spiritual energy around her and slowly inputted it in the wad of steel on her lap.

Unlike other cultivation sects who commissioned their swords from sword smiths, those who learned under Baoshan-Sanren made their own swords. And Cangse-Sanren, as the only daughter of Baoshan-Sanren, was expected to create her own spiritual sword. So, here she was, creating her life companion out of forged steel from the very heavens itself.

Her form began to lightly glow, the consumption of spiritual power into the sword increased. All the materials around her vibrated in time with her heart beat. Soon, light filled the cave, making it very difficult to see anything inside. After a while the light started to die down. 

In front of Cangse-Sanren, floated a beautiful Jian. It's sheath was pure white with a gold inscription of Yù Zhao written on it. The hilt of the sword was gold and covered with a cherry red cloth. The Jian glimmered like diamonds in the dark cave.

Cangse-Sanren swiped the sweat that dotted her face and smiled at her work. The sword was beautiful yet bold. Just like herself. Shifu would probably give the sword a passing glance and say that she should have used snake venom instead of spirit beads to make it more stronger. But, to Cangse-Sanren, the sword was already lovely the way it was. She reached for the sword and brought it close to her heart. The soothing warmth it gave out in response to her proximity made her eyes crinkle.

"I am very pleased with you! I hope that much mischief and chaos follow us where ever we go, _Harbinger_."


	4. Visiting Esteemed Grandmother

Wei Ying stretched his arms out over his head and slowly spread his legs out from their initial lotus position. His back ached from staying upright in meditation for hours. He couldn't believe that his parents actually meditated for days on without rest. But, then again, cultivators were always out of the ordinary.

Wei Ying sprawled across the floor, relaxing his previously tense form. It's been a few months since 'The Scare' as he liked to call it. After his parents and him cried their hearts out, they ended up having a serious talk about his future. Father wanted to pull him out from their regular night hunts until he was older. Mother, however, wanted to continue on since he had already unlocked his spiritual power. She thought that they should just add more protection around him so that the same incident wouldn't occur again. Both of them couldn't agree on one solution, though. They almost came to a major clash about this. But, with a few tears on his end, they made a tentative compromise. 

Wei Ying was not allowed to go on any more night hunts until he entered the Qi Refining Stage. Only then will he be allowed to participate. He was happy with the results. Especially since he wanted to digest the information that he recently learned. 

It was still weird to acknowledge the fact that he was born in a cultivation world. Often times, he would randomly take a seat down somewhere around him and just take in the current situation. But, most of the time, he was incredibly fascinated with the world he was in. Aside from his disastrous first night hunt, he was curious about cultivators and cultivation.

Cultivation, in the world he was in, was split into 14 stages. And each stage had 5 layers to master before they can breakthrough to the next stage. The first stage was the Essence Establishment Stage. At this stage, cultivators would augment their body with spiritual energy, making them stronger and faster than a normal person. Coming after that was the Qi Refining Stage. Here cultivators will use the spiritual energy gathered inside of them to purify their entire body. This helps make their body more suited to cultivation. The stage above the Qi Refining Stage was the Foundation Establishment Stage. In this stage, cultivators will begin to form their spiritual senses. Once that's done, they go right into the Core Formation Stage.

The Core Formation Stage is one of the most important stages in the cultivation process. This is because cultivators will form their golden core. This golden core allows cultivators to produce their own spiritual energy instead of using the spiritual energy of the earth itself. This helps separate cultivators from their earthly binds and allows them to truly begin their journey to immortality. After the Core Formation Stage are the Soul Formation and Transformation Stages. The Soul Formation Stage is where cultivators would create their divine senses while the Soul Transformation Stage is where cultivators would begin to transform their soul from non-corporeal to corporeal.

Ahead of the Soul Formation and Soul Transformation Stage is the Nascent Soul Stage. This stage is where most high-level cultivators reside. In this stage, cultivators will form the beginning of their immortal soul from their newly transformed corporeal soul. After forming their immortal soul or Nascent Soul as they're called, cultivators will then go on their Spiritual Journey. This Spiritual Journey is a tradition where cultivators enjoy the earthly pleasures offered to them from the world for one last time before cutting ties with all things mortal. This helps prepare cultivators for the Ascension Stage. In the Ascension Stage, cultivators would have to go through the Ascension Trials. The Ascension Trials are a series of trials that challenges a cultivator's sense of self. Once the Ascension Trials are passed, cultivators will then undertake the Heavenly Lightening Tribulation. Undertaking the Tribulation would automatically take the cultivators to the Heavens. If they fail in the Tribulation, they die.

Once a cultivator enters the Heavens, they must cultivate into a proper Immortal. To do so, they go through the process of Immortalization. Immortalization was the shedding of a cultivator's mortal form. After Immortalization came the Illusory Yin and Corporeal Yang Stage. The Illusory Yin and Corporeal Yang Stage was were Immortals begin to replace their spiritual energy with celestial energy. They do so in order to become Celestials.

The Celestial Stage was were Immortals form powers like those of the Deities that lived in the mortal realm. After the Celestial Stage was the Nirvana Stage. In this stage, Celestials would be enlightened of the order of the universe. Then comes the last and final cultivation stage, the Ancient God Stage. Only one person has ever become an Ancient God. It was a rare thing to do so. This was because Ancient Gods can touch the core of the universe and directly manipulate it.  

It boggled his mind, sometimes. The fact that cultivators can become gods in this world. But the thought of becoming a god was far from his mind. Right now, he needed to focus on a way to finish the last layer of the Essence Establishment Stage. Apparently, when he unlocked his spiritual power, he broke through 4 layers of the Essence Establishment Stage right off the bat. Its why he fainted so suddenly. The pleasant, warm current he felt was apparently his spiritual power. The burning inferno he experienced afterwards, however, was his body automatically breaking the layers of the Essence Establishment Stage in order to protect him. 

Now he's stuck on the 5th layer. His parents have been making him meditate in order to try and break through the layer. But, in the end, all it did was make him sleepy. He didn't understand. He thought it would be easy since he can accurately find his spiritual power and move it to his will. However, whenever he tried to gather spiritual energy from the earth, it kept slipping through his fingers like the wind. Wei Ying sighed as his 200th attempt at gathering spiritual energy into his body failed. 

"A-Ying? Are you alright?" Wei Changze asked in concern. He was sitting on a wooden chair, sewing one of his wife's numerous teared dresses. His son had just been laying on the floor, sighing as if the entire weight of the world was on his shoulders. It would have been a humorous thing to have witness if it wasn't for how tired he seemed to be. Dark eyebags decorated his pale face. A thin layer of sweat covered his body and his hair was tousled despite having been combed through a few hours. Ever since the first night hunt, A-Ying would wake up breathing haggardly. There would be a dazed look in his eyes, as if he wasn't sure that he was still alive. Sometimes he would mutter things in a strange language and cry a little before going back to sleep. During those times, A-Ying never tried to wake either him or his wife up. As if he didn't want to bother them.  

Wei Changze wanted to stop his son from cultivating until he got older because of this. He thought that his son wouldn't have been in this state in the first place if it weren't for him going on the night hunt. However, Cangse-Sanren still wanted him to continue. She said 'As a cultivator, he must learn to overcome any obstacle in his way. He must continue on just like I would have'. Wei Changze disagreed strongly. A-Ying was not Cangse-Sanren. He wasn't a person who was thrusted into the cultivating path the moment he was born. A-Ying was a little boy who never had any contact with the cultivation world except through his parents going on solo night hunts. To expect him to bounce back like his wife would have was foolhardy. It would have been better for his son to recover from the experience before trying anything else. If it wasn't for the fact that the only time A-Ying began to act like a child was when he was cultivating his spiritual power, then he would have banned A-Ying from anything to do with cultivation entirely. 

"I'm fine, Father." Wei Ying replied as he once again sat up.

Wei Changze just pursued his lips at seeing the weary smile on his son's face. He then exchanged a glance across the room with his wife who was polishing her spiritual sword. 

Seeing the glance, Cangse-Sanren decided to finally tell her son what she and her husband had decided to do when he unlocked his spiritual power. "A-Ying, today, we are going to visit my shifu." Cangse-Sanren informed him.

Wei Ying blinked in surprise. "Mother has a shifu?" He asked questioningly. Mother nodded her head. "Yes, silly. Of course I have a shifu! Do you think I was just born as strong as I am today?" She teased. Wei Ying flushed before shyly nodding his head. "I did. After all, Mother is the strongest person I know." He replied.

Mother's responding smile was blinding. "My son is so cute! Ah, when you meet Shifu please greet her as _Esteemed Grandmother_ (a form of address that younger family members use for their elder family members). Okay, A-Ying?" She asked. "Why must I call your shifu 'Esteemed Grandmother'?" Wei Ying questioned. He tilted his head to the side in confusion. Father chuckled at the action.

"That is because your mother's shifu is also her own blood mother." Father explained. Wei Ying widened his eyes. He thought that he had no living grandparents or relatives due to how free traveling his parents were. To find out that he actually had a living grandmother, and one who taught his mother cultivation at that, was surprising. "Wha- really?! But, wait, why is it that I have to call her 'Esteemed' Grandmother and not just Grandmother?" He asked in surprise.

Cangse-Sanren just chuckled awkwardly. If it wasn't for her husband staring at her in expectation, she would have pushed off the job of explaining everything to him entirely. She didn't really like talking about her mother. It wasn't that she didn't love her mother, it was just that she was tired of her identity always being a part of her mother's. She was her own person but everyone would always see her as her mother's daughter or her mother's disciple. In fact, the reason she fell in love with Wei Changze in the first place was because he had always seen _her_. He never thought of her as nothing less than his shameless, teasing wife. 

She didn't want her son to experience the same thing she went through as her mother's daughter. It's why she keeps on pushing him towards the path of cultivation. Even if he fell down a million times, even if he cried at night or got bruises from training too much, she would keep pushing him forward. So that one day, when she isn't there anymore, he can stand on his own two feet and face the world as his own person. Not as the son of Cangse-Sanren, but as someone who can make their mark on the world. For now, however, she will do her best to guide and protect A-Ying as for as long he needed her. After all, she promised him she would protect him.

"Mother?" A-Ying called out. Cangse-Sanren brought her attention back to the matter at hand. Looking at the eyes of her beloved son, she decided it was better to tell him who his grandmother was then let him flounder on his first meeting with her. 

"Your grandmother is Baoshan-Sanren. However, you'll probably know her as the Immortal of Xiān Nǚ Shān." Mother said. Wei Ying felt that the name sounded familiar. Why was the name Baoshan-Sanren familiar? He should know this . . . Wait. Wait a minute. "Baoshan-Sanren! You mean the same Baoshan-Sanren, the Immortal who returned from the Heavens to be with her lady-love, the famous Celestial Snake Guardian: The White Lady?!" Wei Ying shouted.

Mother winced a little at his volume. "Ah~ Don't be so loud A-Ying. But, yes, we do mean that Baoshan-Sanren." Wei Ying couldn't believe it. "Then . . . then that means . . ." Mother just smiled mischievously. "Means what, A-Ying?" Wei Ying just opened and closed his mouth. He couldn't say it. It was too ludicrous to say it.

Father took pity on him. "Your mother is a half-breed. She has the blood of a Celestial Guardian running through her veins. And as her son, you also carry the blood of a Celestial Guardian." Wei Ying squeaked.

Celestial Guardians were one of the strongest existences in the cultivation world. Celestial Guardians were spirit beasts that cultivated into Celestials. However, instead of living in the heavens like most Celestials do, they go back to the mortal realm in order to guard powerful artifacts or treasures. The White Lady was famous for guarding the lakes of everlasting youth. It was said that she was born in the lake, which is why after becoming a Celestial she elected to return to the mortal realm to guard it.

The fact that he was related to such a powerful figure made him feel a little faint. It was even worse if he added in Baoshan-Sanren. Baoshan-Sanren was famous for being the only Immortal cultivator in the cultivation world to not only return to the mortal realm but to also take on a school of disciples unrelated to her. Not to mention the fact that she was the only person in the world who was able to beat all five great sects on an equal setting. She was a powerhouse monster who many cultivators aspired to be. How the hell did he end up becoming _their_ grandson?!  

Cangse-Sanren giggled in amusement as her son's face went through many expressions. But she decided it was time to be serious. "A-Ying, I want you to promise me that you won't ever tell anyone of your heritage." She asked. A-Ying snapped his attention back to her at that. " . . . Is it because I'll be in danger?" He asked hesitantly.

Cangse-Sanren nodded. "As the son of one of the few Ascension-level cultivators in the world, you were already a target. But if anyone found out that your grandparents are The White Lady and Baoshan-Sanren, then you would be in even more danger." Her son furrowed his brows. "But, Mother, how does no one know that Baoshan-Sanren is your mother? And what do you mean that you're one of the few Ascension-level cultivators?" He asked.

"Many of Shifu's students are orphans, so she allows them to use her maiden name when they visit the mortal world. It's why many people don't know that I'm her daughter. Then there is also the fact that my other mother is The White Lady. Creating a child between two people of the same gender is a ritual lost to all but those who reside in Xiān Nǚ Shān, so many people wouldn't believe that I'm her daughter at all. Especially since Shifu would have no other but The White Lady in her heart. As for your second question . . ." Wei Changze soon took over.

"It's becoming harder and harder for cultivators to reach the Ascension Stage currently. In fact, their limit has stopped at the Nascent Soul Stage. And that only applies for the high-level cultivators. Back when the sects were split into North, South, East, and West instead of the current sects that are based on clans, they were at constant war with each other. Because of this time of death and fighting, many cultivators had a more pressing need to cultivate and breakthrough to higher levels. But now, without the drive to be stronger pushing them forward, most cultivators struggle with heading to the next stage." He explained.

"Oh." Wei Ying uttered.

Father smiled at his reaction. "Now, come here. We need to start packing up to get ready to see your Esteemed Grandmother." He said. Wei Ying nodded, then he slowly got up from his seat on the floor. His butt started to become numb from sitting down for too long. Gah, he just got over the fact that he was in a cultivation world, now he had to deal with this? He feels that his backstory is too OP. Things like this only happen in badly written fanfics. Sigh. It didn't matter how utterly impossible his life seemed. Right now, it was his reality. He will just have to accept the hand that fate had dealt him.

Esteemed Grandmother? What kind of person will she be?

* * *

Standing at the entrance of a dark, foggy forest with his hands clutched between both of his parents, Wei Ying wondered if his life couldn't get any weirder. Here he was, in front of the secret gateway to Xian Nu Shan, waiting for his mother's Junior Disciple Brother to appear and guide them to his Esteemed Grandmother like a shepherd guiding his lambs to slaughter. "Mother? How long do we have to wait here?" Wei Ying whined.

Cangse-Sanren just smiled at the pout on her son's face. "Not that long. Xiao-di should be coming right about . . . now!" As if summoned by her shout, the familiar shadowed figure of her Junior Disciple Brother began to appear. When the fog lifted a bit, she was able to make out how Xiao-di looked now. He seemed to have grown taller from the last time she had seen him, passing her in height. He still wore the white-and-black robes that Shifu had gifted him. But, this time, it hugged his figure instead of pooling around him like a loose dress. His black hair was combed neatly as always, a silver headpiece decorated it. A gentle smile graced his face and his sky blue eyes regarded her warmly. 

"Xiao-di, it's been some time since I seen you. Look at how handsome you've become!" Cangse-Sanren said teasingly.

Xiao Xingchen blushed at the praise. "Cangse-jie, you really haven't changed much, have you?" He asked wryly. She laughed. "Xiao-di, I'll have you know that I have changed very much! In fact, I have a husband and son now. Here, let me introduce you to them." Cangse-jie pulled a unfamiliar man and a small child up to him. "This dashing man is my husband Wei Changze; call him _gege_ (older brother), okay? And this cute bun is my son, Wei Ying. He doesn't have a courtesy name yet so just call him Ying' _er_ (term of endearment)." The man- Wei Changze -just gave an exasperated smile at Cangse-jie's introduction before courteously greeting Xiao Xingchen. The small child- Wei Ying -, on the other hand, flashed a happy smile and waved at him.

"By the way, Xiao-di, why are you at Xian Nu Shan? Last I heard, you were taking your Spiritual Journey. Did something happen?" Cangse-Sanren asked in concern. While she was happy to see her Junior Disciple Brother, it was odd that he was at Shifu's place when he was in the middle of his Spiritual Journey. It was traditional for a cultivator to fully finish their Spiritual Journey before returning to their sect. They only come back to their sect if a serious emergency happened.

At this question, Xiao Xingchen straightened up. "Ah, you probably wouldn't know of this yet but Shifu has decided to go through the Heavenly Lightening Tribulation again. I only found out about this because I came back to ask Shifu to heal someone for me during the middle of my Spiritual Journey. Shifu was actually about to send for you today. She wanted to see you one last time before she Ascended." Xiao Xingchen explained.

Cangse-Sanren's eyes widened. "What!? She wants to Ascend? Why?" She asked, lost.

Xiao Xingchen nodded. "Shifu said that since most of her disciples have already Ascended or are currently in the process of Ascending, that their was no point in staying in the mortal realm. Shifu . . . she . . . I think she's lonely. Most of her disciples have left the mountain already and The White Lady is residing in the Heavens. Because of this, she's going to Ascend in a month's time. Cangse-jie, you really picked a good time to come back." He said.

"A-Ah, well, I, uh, this is really good timing. I can't believe that she's Ascending. The cultivation world is going to have a field day with this." Cangse-Sanren muttered. "To be honest, I came back so that Shifu would meet her grandson. A-Ying recently accessed his spiritual power so I wanted to introduce them to each other." She explained.

Xiao Xingchen's eyes widen in surprise before a happy smile slipped onto his face. He turned to Wei Ying. "Ying'er, you unlocked your spiritual power?" He asked gently. Ying'er shyly nodded. "En! I'm on the 5th layer of the Essence Establishment Stage." He said with pride. Xiao Xingchen chuckled at how adorable Ying'er looked when he put up 5 fingers.

"Should we still visit your Shifu? After all, if she is going to Ascend . . . " Wei Changze asked in concern.

Cangse-Sanren nodded vigorously. "Of course we should visit! It's even more important since Shifu hasn't met either you or A-Ying. If she is Ascending then she should at least know that she is a grandmother now." Cangse-Sanren replied.

"We should probably go now. Shifu is expecting you." Xiao Xingchen said. He once again turned to Ying'er and asked him, "Would you be okay with me carrying you?" Ying'er looked to his parents for confirmation. When Cangse-jie and Wei-ge smiled at him, Ying'er slowly walked into Xiao Xingchen's embrace. Xiao Xingchen lifted Ying'er in his arms then started to walk deeper into the forest. Behind him, Cangse-jie and Wei-ge followed.

He took a quick glance at Ying'er and smiled. The sight of Ying'er swirling his head from right to left to try and see something in the fog was cute. He wondered if the disciples that he discussed about taking in with Song Lan would be as cute as his nephew. Well, that is, if Song Lan still wanted to create a sect with him. Xiao Xingchen hasn't been able to come in contact with him since he left to go back to Baixue Temple after Shifu healed him. He hoped that Song Lan's offer of visiting him still stands. It was hard for him to make friends as a disciple of Baoshan-Sanren. Xiao Xingchen really hoped that Song Lan would still be his friend.

Soon, the fog began to drift away and a stone path revealed itself. The path was neat and clean unlike the overgrown weeds that was threatening to invade. It led up to a series of steps that were too numerous to count. At the very end of the path, there laid a beautiful _Siheyuan_ (courtyard house) with bone-white walls and black tiles that resembled a snake's scales. Surrounding the Siheyuan were yellow aconites, which gave off a sweet, honey-like fragrance. It made the Siheyuan seem much more cheery.

Wei Ying stared at the building in wonder. In his past life, he was born and raised in America. So seeing such a traditional Chinese building was a novel experience for him. He couldn't believe that his mother actually grew up in such an amazing place. It made the inns that his family and him stayed in seem shabby by comparison.

Quickly, the group of four made their way up the stairs and into the building. Unlike the elegant yet simple exterior, the interior was plain and bare. There was nothing inside the Siheyuan. It was as if no one lived here. Wei Ying turned to his uncle in confusion. "Uncle Xiao, why is the house so empty?" He asked. His uncle turned to face him. "As an Immortal cultivator, Shifu has no interest in mortal possessions. Because of this, there was nothing here for a long time. However, back when Shifu still had a school of disciples, many of her students would decorate the walls with their things. But since they all left, many of their things were taken away. It's why the house is very bare now." He explained.

Hearing the explanation, Wei Ying felt sad for his Esteemed Grandmother. It must have been difficult being at the top of the world. Her students and lover were gone, and all she had to surround herself with was empty white walls and the silence of the mountain. What a lonely life. No wonder Esteemed Grandmother was Ascending. He wouldn't want to be surrounded by memories of good times long past either. It would make him feel too sad.

Shortly, everyone entered a open room. In the middle of the room sat a women who could have put the moon to shame. Her chocolate-colored hair was spread around her heart-shaped face like a halo. Her diamond eyes regarded the group of people entering the room with an impassive expression. Her emerald green and earth brown ruqun made her seem otherworldly, as if she didn't belong here.

It was only when uncle greeted her, that Wei Ying finally knew who she was. "Shifu! I have brought Cangse-jie and her family here." He said.

Baoshan-Sanren gazed at the group of people in front of her. The first person she noticed was her daughter. A-Cang seemed to have matured since starting her Spiritual Journey. Her temperament has improved and her manners were actually used for once. If this was the past, A-Cang would have jumped at her in a bear hug before chatting her ears off. It seemed that settling down made her think more with her brain then with her heart. 

Next to her daughter was a ordinary man. Despite his plain appearance, the peaceful aura he was projecting was enough to tell her that he was a good person. Someone who would treat her daughter right and take care of her messes. Baoshan-Sanren approved of him. Though, she wished he would have more of a backbone. From the way that A-Cang was pulling him to greet her, it seemed that A-Cang was the one who frequently pressed him down in the bedroom.

She then turned her attention to the small child in her youngest disciple's arms. Her brows furrowed for a moment before smoothing out, as if her face never changed at all. The small child was presumably her grandson. Unless A-Chen somehow found the time to knock a women up and bring back a toddler, he was probably A-Cang's son. Her grandson seemed to have dark eyebags and a pale face, which was unusual. Most people only gained dark eyebags and a pale face after they lived with her for a while. So the fact that he looked like that must mean that something happened to him before he came here.

Baoshan-Sanren sighed unnoticeably. It seemed that even if A-Cang matured, she was still hopeless with somethings. And given the worried looks her son-in-law gave her grandson, he must be as hopeless as A-Cang is when it comes to children.

" . . . Esteemed Grandmother?" A young voice called out. 

Baoshan-Sanren turned to face her grandson at the call. " . . . Who are you calling 'Esteemed Grandmother'? I am not dead yet, so don't call me 'Esteemed Grandmother'. Just call me Grandma, okay babyface?" Baoshan-Sanren blankly said. Her grandson looked at her startled. " . . . babyface?" He muttered, seemingly confused.

It was then Cangse-Sanren piped up. "Shifu! This is your grandson, Wei Ying. And the man next to me is your son-in-law, Wei Changze. Aren't they just precious?" She said with a mischievous smile. Wei Changze flushed at his wife's wording before letting out a stuttered greeting to his mother-in-law.   

Baoshan-Sanren just nodded to her son-in-law before replying to her daughter. "I already knew this was my grandson and son-in-law. Did you have to point out the obvious to me? Or do you think I've become senile in my old age? And precious? Anyone would be more precious compared to you." She said, as dispassionate as ever.

Cangse-Sanren put a hand to her heart, her lips pushed up in a pout. "Shifu! That hurts, right here, in my very being. Aren't you going to be nice to me? I mean, I haven't come back here since I left for my Spiritual Journey. Shouldn't I get some reprieve?" She dramatically questioned.

Baoshan-Sanren snorted and declined to reply. She then got up from her sitting position and went towards her grandson. "A-Chen, take your _jie jie_ (older sister) and her husband to the dinning table. I will take my grandson for a nap." She ordered. She then snatched her grandson from his arms and hurriedly exited the room in a unrushed manner. She loved her daughter but, sometimes, there's a limit to how much she can deal with her dramatics for a day. And it seemed that her limit has slowly declined during the years.

Wei Ying sat in his grandma's arms, utterly confused about the strings of events that just occurred. No one has ever called him babyface before. Being called out like that by his grandmother, who honestly looked like a nineteen year old, was weird. Then there's the fact that his grandma roasted his mother like a chicken kabob. Isn't this kind of behavior wrong? Where's the tears? The emotional hug? Wasn't this supposed to be a heartfelt reunion? They haven't seen each other in years yet they start snarking at each other from the get to-go. What kind of weird-ass family was he reborn into?

Baoshan-Sanren didn't concern herself with the various expressions that crossed her grandson's face. Instead, she walked into her room and settled her grandson in the middle of her bed. Once he was seated on the bed, she turned around and went to her cabinet to pull out her wife's cinnamon incense sticks that she kept for the lonely nights. She noticed that when she was carrying her grandson, that he naturally smelled of cinnamon. It was . . . surprising. Yet it wasn't really. _Xiao_ (little) Ying was also her wife's grandson. While Xiao Ying showed a strong resemblance to his parents, he would still inherit traits from his grandparents. And one trait he seemed to have inherited was the smell of cinnamon that her wife loved.

She lit the cinnamon incense near her bed, on a nightstand. Hopefully the incense would help Xiao Ying have a better sleep. Small children should not look like they are about to drop down from exhaustion. After he falls asleep, she was going to have a serious talk with her daughter and her son-in-law. The way his spiritual power was acting was strange. Unstable. Something happened that messed up his spiritual intake. She turned to face her grandson. "It's time for your nap, Xiao Ying." Xiao Ying protested his new nickname.

"Hey! Don't . . . yawn . . . call me . . . Xiao Ying . . . I'm not . . . yawn . . . little . . ." Wei Ying felt his eyes grow heavy. The comforting smell of the incense made him feel sleepy. He felt someone drape a blanket around him, covering him in a pleasant warmth. It's been too long since he had a good nights rest. Between 'The Scare' and dealing with his stabilization as a single person, he was exhausted. It might be okay to sleep for a few minutes . . . just a few more minutes . . .

* * *

Cangse-Sanren and her husband sat in the only dining room of her Shifu's Siheyuan. Xiao-di sat across from them setting up her mother's- The White Lady's - porcelain tea set. "Cangse-jie, Wei-ge, I wanted to ask: Why are there dark eyebags on my nephew's face?" Xiao-di asked seriously.  

Wei Changze took a sip of the green tea he was handed before he answered. "A-Ying unlocked his spiritual power when he was attacked by a Jiangshi on his first night hunt. We think that he's been having nightmares about it. But he doesn't tell us about it. We've tried to ask him but he always evades the question. There is nothing we can do." He explained. 

Xiao Xingchen's eyes widen in surprise. "A Jiangshi!? No wonder he has nightmares. On my first night hunt, I only encountered a _E Gui_ (hungry ghost). They are much weaker than Jiangshi. But I do wonder, why were you hunting Jiangshi? I thought that those who were apart of established clans would only take their child out on a night hunt for _Huli Jing_ (fox spirits)." He questioned.

At this, Cangse-jie chuckled nervously. "Ah~ That . . . would be my fault." She admitted sheepishly. Xiao Xingchen just raised an eyebrow in response, trusting that his jie jie would spill out the entire story out eventually. And she did.

"To be honest . . . I accidently set fire to the tent of Yu Ziyuan when I was shaving off Lan Qiren's facial hair. It seemed that the fire caused most of her traveling clothes to be burnt and left her with only her night dress. Now, she has a huge grudge against me. Normally I would be fine with that, but she was set to marry Jiang Fengmian, my husband's former master. This made it awkward to join the Yunmeng Jiang sect. So, instead, I bought my husband's servant contract from the Yunmeng Jiang sect then eloped with him afterwards. We've been rouge cultivators since then." She explained.

Xiao Xingchen choked on his tea. " . . . Cangse-jie . . . why . . ." He sighed in exasperation. He then bowed towards Wei-ge. "I apologize on behalf of my jiejie."

Wei Changze just smiled tiredly at him. "It's okay. I knew what I was getting into when I eloped with her." His wife just pouted and whined. "Hey! That's mean. It wasn't like I meant to burn her clothes." Wei Changze just looked at her with a judgmental expression on his face. Cangse-Sanren huffed and crossed her arms.

"A-Cang, are you a six-year-old child? Act more like your age." Baoshan-Sanren said while coming into the room. She had heard everything that was said in the room before her entrance. Finding out that her grandson opened his spiritual power when he was attacked by Jiangshi explained why he had the spiritual imbalance. His body probably forced him to unlock his spiritual power in order to protect himself, not caring for the consequences that would arouse from absorbing too much spiritual energy the wrong way. Sigh. She seated herself next to A-Chen and accepted the cup of tea he gave her. "Shifu! Where is A-Ying?" A-Cang asked. "He is currently resting in my bedroom. A-Cang, it seems that your son has a spiritual imbalance." She said. "Spiritual imbalance?" Her son-in-law questioned.

Baoshan-Sanren nodded her head. "Spiritual imbalance is when a cultivator absorbs too much yin energy or too much yang energy instead of the balanced spiritual energy that we usually absorb. This causes problems like being unable to cultivate properly."

"Is there anyway to correct it?" Wei Changze asked worriedly. "The natural way to correct it is to stabilize his spiritual power. I can help him correct it but he would need to stay with me for a while. I estimate that his spiritual imbalance would correct itself right in time for my Ascension." His mother-in-law stated. His wife sighed in relief. "Shifu, thank you." His mother-in-law just hmphed. "Don't thank me for such an unnecessary thing. He is my grandson, of course I would help him. Besides, he might end up being more mature than you."

Cangse-Sanren sulked. "Shifu! Stop being so mean~. Just accept my thanks, ah." She said. Shifu just rolled her eyes. "Does my grandson have a courtesy name yet?" She asked. Cangse-Sanren shook her head negatively. "I see. Then, from hence forth, he shall be known as Wei Wuxian. 'To be without envy'." Shifu declared solemnly. Cangse-Sanren tested the name out on her tongue and found it pleasant to her ears. 

"Shifu? Why 'Wuxian'?" She asked curiously. Shifu replied. "So he doesn't end up like you." Cangse-Sanren sulked again.

Wei Changze smiled. Wuxian was a good name. It was a perfect fit with his son's nature. Someone who isn't full of envy of others for he already knows the value in what he has. Wei Changze wondered how A-Ying would react to the name. He bet that his son would love it.  

"It is late now. A-Chen, go and take rest. A-Cang, your room is still useable. You can sleep there with your husband. I will take care of your son." Mother-in-law said. She then got up from her seat and left the room. Meanwhile, his wife's brother said 'goodnight' and left to go to bed. 

"Wei Changze, come on! I want to show you where I used to sleep." Cangse-Sanren said. She pulled Wei Changze out from the room and pushed him towards her previous bedroom. Wei Changze entered her bedroom hesitantly, however, curiosity got the better of him and made him explore the room. Cangse-Sanren watched with fondness as her husbands searched around the room for hidden treasures. It was then a thought came to her. A very naughty thought.

"Husband~ Since we are all alone . . . " Cangse-Sanren seductively said. Wei Changze was oblivious, still fascinated with his wife's childhood bedroom. " . . . then maybe we should put that time to good use." She said with a wicked smirk. It was then Wei Changze registered exactly what his wife said to him. However, before he could dissuade her, she pounced.

* * *

 **Extra:** The Immortal of Xian Nu Shan and The White Lady

( . . . There once was a white snake that lived in the bottom of a lake . . . )

Yan Mingzhu was a snake. A beautiful, white snake. But a snake. She lived in the bottom of a lake near a cultivation family's mountain. Her name came from the name of the lake she resided in as well as the village that rested near the lake, Lake Mingzhu and Yan Village.  One day, a gorgeous female cultivator from the mountain flew across the lake and dropped something. As the curious snake she was, she went out to investigate the dropped item.

( . . . The cultivator dropped a Cultivation Pill, said to allow mortals to cultivate into Immortals  . . . )

She found a weird, glowing orb on the lake floor. It was shiny and pretty. It reminded Yan Mingzhu of the fish eggs that she ate yesterday. She came closer and closer to the orb and decided to eat it. Once she ate it, her stomach began to hurt a lot. Her body burned and her eyes started to water in pain. She passed out soon afterwards. 

( . . . And so, the snake ate the pill and transformed into a beautiful women . . . )

When Yan Mingzhu awoke, her body felt weird. Something had sprouted out from her body. Four somethings, in fact. She wiggled the something before bringing it up to her face to look at. It was then she noticed that the something in front of her face was actually a human hand! How strange this was. Before she could marvel more at the strangeness of the situation, the beautiful female cultivator who dropped the orb appeared in front of her.

"Have you seen a glowing orb anywhere? I seemed to have dropped it here." The cultivator asked. Yan Mingzhu opened her mouth to speak, however, only a strangled moan came out. The cultivator stared at her blankly before turning around and leaving. Yan Mingzhu, seeing this, tried to get up and speak with the woman once more. She wished to tell the cultivator that she ate the orb. However, all she could do was fall down and watch the cultivator walk away. 

( . . . The snake, feeling gratitude for being able to cultivate, decided to repay the cultivator who dropped the pill. However, in order to do so, the snake had to first cultivate into a Celestial Guardian before she could be of any use . . . )

A kind monk took her in while she was still learning how to be a human. Yan Mingzhu was grateful for the monk, for without him, she would have perished a long time ago. Not only did the monk take care of her but, upon seeing her cultivation potential, taught her how to cultivate. Yan Mingzhu hoped that, maybe, when she becomes a strong cultivator she would be able to tell the beautiful female cultivator exactly what happened to her pill. 

Soon, months and years passed by. The once kind monk became a pile of bones and war had reached the land. Yan Mingzhu watched from her palace in the Heavens as cultivators began to kill each other off one by one. She couldn't see the female cultivator anywhere at all. Sigh. Yan Mingzhu was a Celestial being now. In her rush to find the female cultivator, she ended up cultivating too much, to the point that she directly Ascended to the Heavens as a Celestial being. It was the first time in history that someone actually cultivated too much.

If any of the cultivators of the mortal realm were to hear about this, they would spit out blood. How can someone cultivate too much?! What was wrong with this snake?! They would think. It was then Yan Mingzhu spotted the beautiful female cultivator lying injured near the lake she was born in. Yan Mingzhu decided, then and there, to leave the Heavens and help the cultivator. However, before she could do so, the Jade Emperor stopped her.

"Celestial Snake, what are you doing? Don't you know the rules of the Heavens? Only Immortals can visit the mortal realm." The Jade Emperor said. Yan Mingzhu blinked. "But I need to go down there." She said as she pointed to the world below. The Jade Emperor frowned. "As We said before, only Immortals can visit the mortal realm. Unless you are a Celestial Guardian then We cannot let you leave." He stated.

It was then Yan Mingzhu had a strange idea. "Then make me a Celestial Guardian." She bluntly said. The Jade Emperor choked. "We cannot simply make you a Celestial Guardian! To be a Celestial Guardian, you must guard something." The Jade Emperor explained. Yan Mingzhu nodded her head in understanding. She then pointed to the lake she was born in. "That lake grants everlasting youth to those who drink it. Make me a Celestial Guardian and I shall guard that lake." She lied through her teeth. 

The Jade Emperor just stared at her in irritation. Did she really think that We would fall for that? The Jade Emperor then sighed at how serious the Celestial Snake looked before deciding to grant her this one favor. " . . . It seems that you can become a Celestial Guardian. We'll allow you to go to the mortal realm, then." The Jade Emperor said. He then waved his arm to indicate that she should leave. He couldn't believe that such a stupid woman was able to cultivate into a Celestial. Heavens, the standards have really gone down from the past.

Yan Mingzhu gratefully bowed down before descending from the Heavens.

( . . . And so, the snake became a Celestial Guardian, guarding the lake of everlasting youth . . . )

Baoshan-Sanren lied near the lake that was close to her family's mountain. She was weak and exhausted from fighting off the Northern Sect cultivators from invading the Yan Village. It was only a few more hours from her home but she couldn't move at all. It would be easy for someone to come up to her and kill her. Ugh. She can imagine it now. A beautiful woman with white hair and eyes the color of storm clouds would just descend from the Heavens and come up to her asking her if she was okay. She would touch her cheeks and Baoshan-Sanren would feel a pleasant coolness before slowly falling asleep. Baoshan-Sanren knew that the next time she would wake up, it would be in King Yama's court. That was just her luck.

Yan Mingzhu looked down at the female cultivator who fell asleep while nuzzling her hands. She felt an amused smile curl up on her face. She didn't think that the female cultivator was such a funny person. It didn't fit in with her unexpressive face. It was really adorable, however. The cultivator groaned in pain. Yan Mingzhu decided to slowly carry the female cultivator towards a cave nearby the lake. It was probably in her best interest to nurse the cultivator back to health before she apologized for eating her Cultivation Pill. 

( . . . One day, the snake came upon an injured cultivator. The snake decided to nurse the injured cultivator back to health. Some time afterwards, the snake realized that the injured cultivator she was caring for was the same cultivator who dropped her pill in the lake . . . )

Baoshan-Sanren woke up lying on a rock. Her eyes were blurry with pain, though she can still make out the figure of a person sitting next to her. "Ah, your awake! I'm glad. You were really injured back there." The figure said. It took a couple of blinks before Baoshan-Sanren was able to clearly identify the figure. She was surprised. The figure looked exactly like the person she had thought would kill her. " . . . Who are you?" She asked. The woman smiled. "I'm Yan Mingzhu. I found you injured near my lake. I decided to help you out since I didn't want you to bleed everywhere. It'd be tiresome to drain your blood from the lake water. After all, some people still drink from it." The woman- Yan Mingzhu - cheerfully replied. "What's your name?" She asked.

Baoshan-Sanren hummed before deciding to answer. While most cultivators might think it's suspicious to be conveniently saved by someone out of the blue, Baoshan-Sanren always thought that there might be some genuinely good people in the world. Whether Yan Mingzhu was one of those people, only time can tell. " . . . Baoshan-Sanren." She said. Yan Mingzhu smiled brightly.

"Baoshan-Sanren? What a nice name!"  

( . . . While taking care of the cultivator, the snake and the cultivator slowly fell in love with each other. However, the snake was afraid that the cultivator would be disgusted with her natural form . . . )

Its been years since Baoshan-Sanren was saved by Yan Mingzhu. After healing up, Baoshan-Sanren left to go reside back in her mountain once again. However, she would still sometimes visit Yan Mingzhu whenever she had the time. She didn't want to admit it but during that time when Yan Mingzhu took care of her, she fell in love. She didn't notice it at first. But when she kept buying cinnamon incense to give to Yan Mingzhu or just kept thinking about Yan Mingzhu when she was not with her, Baoshan-Sanren realized that she might have fallen in love.

Today, Baoshan-Sanren was going to visit Yan Mingzhu and confess to her. Even if Yan Mingzhu rejected her, it would be okay. Because in the end, her feelings would have been acknowledged. She went up to Yan Mingzhu's cave and was about to enter when the most astonishing thing happened. A beautiful white snake curled up in the middle of the cave before slowly transforming into the familiar figure of Yan Mingzhu. "Ah~ My back hurts from staying in my human form for so long. It's nice to rest in my snake form sometimes." She moaned out.

Baoshan-Sanren had heard rumors of a woman who would turn into a white snake. It was said that the woman was a Celestial Guardian who was guarding a lake that granted everlasting youth. She was called The White Lady, for the woman's hair was as white as her scales. Baoshan-Sanren couldn't believe that she didn't see the connection sooner. After all, the rumor originated from Yan Village, which was situated by Lake Mingzhu. Not to mention, Yan Mingzhu never hid how unhuman she acted. For Heaven's sake, she swallowed a live mouse in front of her! To think that the woman she loved was actually the famous White Lady . . . Baoshan-Sanren was about to quietly leave but ended up stepping on a tree branch.

Yan Mingzhu turned around. "Ah! Who dares come into . . . my . . . home . . . Baoshan-Sanren?" She called out in surprise. Her eyes were wide in fear. Baoshan-Sanren, when did she come here? Did she see her transformation?

Both women stared at each other in a stalemate. 

( . . . One day, the cultivator found out about the snake's true form. However, the cultivator was far from being disgusted. She said, 'My heart belongs only to you. If you are a snake, then so be it. It shall not move you from the center of my eyes' . . . ) 

Yan Mingzhu felt flustered. She was about to explain everything when Baoshan-Sanren said something shocking. "I love you." She said bluntly. What?! Yan Mingzhu felt her face heat up and attempted to speak but Baoshan-Sanren, once again, beat her to the punch. "I fell in love with you since you took care of me in this cave. I . . . even if you are a snake I would still love you. So, will you marry me?" Baoshan-Sanren asked awkwardly. 

Yan Mingzhu just stared at her before tears started to fall from her eyes. Baoshan-Sanren rushed forth to comfort her. "Yan Mingzhu! I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-" "Yes!" "-told you . . . What?" Baoshan-Sanren blankly asked. Yan Mingzhu turned to Baoshan-Sanren with a tearful smile. "Yes! I'll marry you. I . . . I have always loved you. From the moment I knew your name, I fell in love with you." She said.

Baoshan-Sanren stared at Yan Mingzhu, a soft smile spread on her face. She gently grabbed Yan Mingzhu's face and kissed her.

( . . . Many things happened after the cultivator married the snake. Some things were sweet . . . )

"So, you searched for me throughout the years, just to apologize for eating my Cultivation Pill?" Baoshan-Sanren deadpanned. Yan Mingzhu nodded her face, blushing. "I just felt really bad about eating it. I wanted to apologize since it was the right thing to do." She said shyly. Baoshan-Sanren just sighed. Her wife was so silly.

( . . . Some things were heartbreaking . . . )

Yan Mingzhu's hands covered her face as she cried. She watched as her wife was Ascending to the Heavens. She didn't want Baoshan-Sanren to leave her in the mortal realm . . . but she had to. Baoshan-Sanren needed to become an Immortal if she wanted to stay with Yan Mingzhu since she was Celestial being. Otherwise, Baoshan-Sanren would die from old age. Even if Yan Mingzhu logically knew this, seeing her wife leave her broke her heart. "I'll come back! So wait for me." Baoshan-Sanren shouted out before disappearing into the Heavens.

( . . . Other things were memorable . . . )

 "I want a baby!" Yan Mingzhu said out of the blue. Baoshan-Sanren hummed as her wife's natural form curled around her. "How do you go about having a baby?" Baoshan-Sanren asked. Yan Mingzhu furrowed her brows before smoothing them out. "How about we sacrifice my earthly bonds that make me a Celestial Guardian, to make a baby?" She said. Baoshan-Sanren sat up rigidly. " . . . Yan Mingzhu, if we do this then you will have to go back to the Heavens again." Baoshan-Sanren said.

Yan Mingzhu nodded sadly. She then transformed back to her human form and gently cradled her wife's face. Her eyes were solemn. "I know that. But nothing would make me happier than having proof of our love. Besides, I promise you, I will wait for you." She said. The pure sincerity in her wife's voice convinced Baoshan-Sanren to go along with the ritual. 

Nine months pass. Baoshan-Sanren is left in her mountain with a beautiful baby girl in her arms and the lingering scent of cinnamon in the air. The clouds thunder ominously, yet all she could hear are the words 'I love you'.

(  . . . Even if the end has not approached yet, the story of the Immortal of Xian Nu Shan and The White Lady shall forever be remembered . . . )

Yan Mingzhu watched from her palace in the Heavens as her wife gathered her sleeping grandson in her arms to cuddle with. A smile grew on her face at the adorable scene that she saw. "Ah~ Baoshan-Sanren, didn't I say that I'll wait for you? Since I'm waiting for you, you should spend as much time with our grandson as you can possibly can." Her eyes were soft.

"After all, our love is everlasting."

( . . . For the love between the snake and the cultivator is everlasting . . . )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what are your thoughts? Any comments, questions, or rants about this chapter? Know that I will try and respond to each one.
> 
> ~ ApolloGeek27


	5. It's Not A Goodbye, It's A See You Later

Living with his grandmother was a surreal experience for Wei Ying. Part of that can be attributed to his grandmother's personality, but most of it was because of what actually happened while living with her. For example . . . 

* * *

_WEEK 1_

Wei Ying felt something smooth slide down his face. It was an unusual sensation to feel while waking up. He slowly opened his eyes, waiting to be greeted with the sight of an empty room. Instead, he was met with the sight of a snake leaning over his face. He screamed, and flung himself off the bed. His feet became tangled with the blanket covering him and his head hit the side of the bed post. His body hit the floor with a 'thump'. He groaned in pain. He tried to get up. But all he could do was bump into the nightstand next to the bed, causing the incense to fall off and land on the floor. Unable to see due to the crust in his eyes, he stepped on the fallen incense and yelped in pain. He began to hop around the room with his burnt foot in his hands before hitting a wall and falling down to the floor. This time, he decided to stay on the floor and not move.

"Xiao Ying?" Baoshan-Sanren called out. She had woken up early and left to make breakfast for everyone. When she came back to wake up her grandson, she ended up entering a nearly destroyed bedroom with the guardian of Xian Nu Shan laying on the bed while her grandson was laying prone on the floor, whimpering in pain. Xiao Ying slowly got up from his curled up position on the floor and limped towards her. He rose his hands up in a plea to be picked up. Baoshan-Sanren decided to indulge him and picked him up. "Xiao Ying?" She asked. All he did was bury his face in her shoulder. " . . . There was a snake." He uttered. Baoshan-Sanren sighed. If this was how he reacted towards waking up with a snake in his bed, then he will not enjoy what she planned for him this week. In order to fix his spiritual imbalance, he needed to reconnect with his roots. And as the grandson of _the_ Celestial Snake Guardian, that meant connecting with snakes. Only when his spiritual power came to a balance with his awakened Celestial blood, would he then be able to cultivate again.

So, for the entire week, Wei Ying was constantly surrounded by snakes. Whenever he woke up, there would be a snake nearby. Whenever he slept, there would be a snake nearby. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner was not spared the presence of snakes as well. In fact, it was even worse during those times since he had to witness the snakes swallow animals whole, alive or dead. Hell, even his showers and bathroom breaks were in the presence of snakes! Taking a bath always ended up with snakes joining him in the tub, and going to the bathroom would always result with the snakes following right behind him. Snakes would rest in his closet for naps. They would steal his snacks. They would even trip him on the floor for fun. Snakes were just _everywhere_. When he asked why there were snakes everywhere, his grandmother replied 'So you can connect with your heritage'. 

At the beginning, Wei Ying almost had a heart attack. He was scared half of the time. Mostly because Grandma would tell him the species and toxicity levels of the snakes. Fun fact: all the snakes that surrounded him could kill him with one bite. _All of them_. But then everything changed. And it all started with the very first snake that Wei Ying saw. This snake was a female black mamba with sleek black scales and a venomous bite. Wei Ying should have been terribly frightened of her, he should have run screaming in the other direction, he shouldn't have been in the general vicinity of the snake at all . . . if it wasn't for the way the snake acted.

The black mamba would follow him everywhere. Whenever other snakes did anything vaguely scary, she would hiss menacingly at them before turning to him as if asking for a pat on the head. She would run into walls when she wasn't paying attention, and she would chase her own tail when she was bored. She even did a little wiggle dance when playing around. And when Wei Ying went to bed, the snake would snuggle up against his feet like a pair of warm slippers. She honestly acted more like a dog than a snake. So much so, that Wei Ying stopped being afraid of snakes entirely. In fact, he even named the snake.

"Bitch!"

Baoshan-Sanren stared as her grandson called for the black mamba with its new name. Its moments like these, when Xiao Ying would choose to name a highly venomous snake after a female dog, that she was able to see the resemblance between herself and him. The black mamba, Bitch, turned her head towards Xiao Ying and wiggled her tail in joy. She slithered over to her grandson before rubbing her tiny head on his arm, like a stupid dog. "Who's a good girl? You are! Yes, you are!" Xiao Ying said as he began to scratch Bitch under the chin.

With the scene she was seeing, it was hard to think of the fact that the black mamba was actually a Ascension-level spiritual beast that her wife got to guard the mountain. The snake never really acted like this in front of her or her daughter, and yet she acted like a stupid animal in front of her grandson. This was just plain favoritism. Still . . . Baoshan-Sanren felt a little bad about what she was going to do next. "Xiao Ying, come here." She beckoned. 

Xiao Ying looked over at her curiously before scooping up Bitch into his arms and walking towards her. He stood a few feet away from her in respect. "Yes, Grandma?" He asked. Baoshan-Sanren looked at him for a while before finally deciding to speak. " . . . Today, we will be releasing all of the snakes from the compound. That includes Bitch." Xiao Ying's eyes widen and Bitch began to menacingly hiss at her. 

"What! Why? I finally got used to her." He asked in misery. Baoshan-Sanren wasn't moved by the tears that gathered in his eyes. "The only reason the snakes were in the compound was to return you to your roots as a child of a half-breed. Since that has happened already, then there is no more use for them here. Remember, they are wild animals and cannot stay with you forever. They have their own homes and lives in the wild to live. The same applies to Bitch. She has her own life to live. This doesn't mean that you won't see her anymore, its just that she needs to live her own life." Baoshan-Sanren explained.

Wei Ying felt unhappy. Right when he finally got used to waking up with snakes wiggling in his clothes, he has to give them up? That was so unfair. Not to mention the fact that Bitch obviously did not want to leave him either. But looking at his grandmother, Wei Ying knew that if he didn't let the snakes leave then she would just gather up all of them and toss them off the mountain. She was vicious like that. 

He sighed, disheartened. "I love you, Bitch. I ain't never gonna stop loving you, Bitch." He said to Bitch. Bitch hissed at him pleadingly but with his grandmother behind him all he can do was kiss her head and put her on the floor. Bitch just wiggled on the floor and snuggled near his feet. Still, he didn't do anything. Bitch kept trying to make him pick her up but nothing worked.

It was then Bitch finally got the hint. All she did was hiss sadly at him before slithering a few steps away. When he didn't follow behind her or call out for her, she turned around. She hissed once more before baring her fangs at Grandma, then she slithered away into the forest. After he couldn't see her anymore, all of the snakes in the compound started to slither away into the forest. Once all the snakes were gone, a few tears slipped down his face. He was going to miss Bitch, she was his best friend (pet). He will never forget her.

Baoshan-Sanren sighed. "Just as dramatic as A-Cang, I swear." She muttered under her breath. She then raised her voice. "Xiao Ying, your father has made spicy lotus rib soup for you. If you don't hurry, your mother will eat it all up." With that said, all the tears disappeared from Xiao Ying's face in an instant and he forgot entirely about Bitch. "Really!? Then lets hurry up before Mother eats it all." He tugged on her hand.

Baoshan-Sanren felt her eye twitch. He was too much like his mother. He felt the need to dramatize everything. But, thankfully, he had a child's attention span. It made it easier for him to get over things quickly. Especially when his father's specially prepared spicy lotus rib soup was involved. She knew that Xiao Ying would probably forget about Bitch entirely, until something reminded him of the snake once more. Still . . . Baoshan-Sanren looked at the excited face of Xiao Ying. 

This month wasn't going to get any better from here on out.

* * *

_WEEK 2_

This time, instead of waking up in bed, Wei Ying woke up buried in the ground with only his head above ground level. Instead of panicking like any sane person would do, he examined the area around him. It took him only a week to know how his grandmother operated. She was a woman who would spring up surprises on you and only explain why she did what she did afterwards. This is why he was convinced that he wasn't in danger. Because being buried body-deep into the ground was obviously somethin his grandmother had done for some weird reason. Really, the woman filled the compound with snakes, being buried alive wasn't something far off from what she would do.

He finally spotted his grandmother sitting under a beautiful oak tree with the leaves slowly turning into a shades of yellow, orange, and red. "Grandma? Why am I here?" He asked calmly. Grandma just took a sip of tea before she deigned to answer me. "You're here because your mother gave birth to you. Why else would you be here?" She said. Wei Ying felt his eye twitch. "Grandma, why am I buried in the ground?" He asked clearly. Grandma looked at him straight in the eyes and said the most ridiculous thing in the world. "To make you grow taller, of course."

Wei Ying stared at his grandmother as if she grew another head. What the hell. What the literal hell. Did she think that he was that stupid? Grandma just watched him with amusement. "I do think you are stupid. After all, you are your mother's child." Isn't mother her child? What does it say about her if she calls his mother stupid? Wei Ying really wished that he was with his parents right now. 

Baoshan-Sanren gazed at the numerous faces that Xiao Ying made in silence. He had a very expressive face that displayed exactly what he was thinking. This was probably something that he inherited from his father. It was amusing to watch in action. Xiao Ying probably thought that being buried alive just so he can grow taller seemed stupid, but in all actuality she lied to him. Well, not entirely. As someone who had already unlocked his spiritual power, one of the obstacles he faced was absorbing an adequate amount of spiritual energy from the earth. By burying him in the spiritual enriched soil, she was forcing his body to absorb the spiritual energy around him in a more steady manner. By doing this, when he begins to absorb spiritual energy on his own, he'll be able to do it in a way that won't hurt his body. Not only does it not hurt his body, but it also helps in the human growth. Xiao Ying will stay buried in the ground for a week, and when he comes out, he would probably be taller than he was before.

So, for a week, Wei Ying stayed buried in the ground. His grandmother would come by and water him like a plant three times a day. His parents also came and fed him food. Afterwards they would leave to spend some time together. He didn't know why his parents seemed okay with him being buried in the ground. He could understand the snake thing since his other grandmother was The White Lady and he had an affinity for snakes, but being buried in the ground? His mother just looked at him with a smile before patting his head and exclaiming that this was cute. His father, on the other hand, who he expected to be rational only told him 'The ways of an Immortal are mysterious'. What did he mean by mysterious? Grandma literally just buried him alive so he can grow tall! This was ridiculous. 

However, when he was let out of the pit he was buried in and actually measured himself, he found out that he grew two inches taller. Like, what the actual fuck? How the hell did he actually grow taller while buried underground?! While Wei Ying tried to understand the logic that Grandma applied to him, his grandmother and uncle where speaking to each other.

Xiao Xingchen smiled as Ying'er patted the ground where he was buried in as if it was some holy place. "Shifu? Did you ever explain exactly why you have been training him for the month? I know that Cangse-jie and Wei-ge haven't told him about his spiritual imbalance. They've been too busy practicing dual cultivation together. I think they forgot to tell him about it." He asked curiously. His Shifu just smirked. "No. He doesn't know about the spiritual imbalance. All he knows is that I have been spending bonding time with him. He thinks that all I have been doing is completely random and unexpected." She replied.

Xiao Xingchen just sighed helplessly. "Shifu . . . isn't that a little cruel?" He asked. Shifu just stared at him blankly. Ah, Ying'er, it seems that Shifu enjoys torturing him. Xiao Xingchen felt bad about that. But seeing the slight smile on his Shifu's face, he believed that it wasn't that bad. Not to mention, Ying'er puzzled face was cute. So it was probably okay to let Shifu mess with him. 

Xiao Xingchen only hoped that Ying'er would be ready for the upcoming week.

* * *

_WEEK 3_

Wei Ying stretched his arm across his chest, along with the bow string that he held. In his other hand was the wooden bow that his uncle made him. He was in a wide, open grassy field. Trees of various shades of yellow, red, and orange surrounded him. His sight was trained on the flying pheasant in the sky. Wei Ying took a deep breath before releasing his arrow. And true to form, his arrow hit right on target. The poor, unsuspecting pheasant was pierced with an arrow to the head, and dropped down like a rock in the sky.

Wei Ying jumped up and down excitedly. "Uncle! Uncle! Did you see that?! I hit it! I hit it!" He shouted in excitement. His uncle smiled at him gently and patted his head. "Good job, Ying'er. It seems that you're getting better at using the bow." Wei Ying nodded his head. "Of course I am! That's 'cause Uncle Xiao taught me." He replied teasingly. Uncle Xiao just chuckled. Another voice interrupted the beautiful moment. "Xiao Ying, hurry and get the pheasant. I am hungry." 

Wei Ying felt his eye twitch. He turned to face his grandmother who was simply sitting on a artfully crafted wooden chair, drinking tea. Unlike the two previous weeks, this week was fairly normal. Wei Ying attributed this to the fact that his uncle was supervising him this week. His parents still visited him during eating times as they have done for the past two weeks, but now, he spent most of his time with his uncle and grandma. During this week, he learnt how to hunt and survive in the forest from Uncle Xiao. He hunted pheasants to eat and built his own fire. He even learned what was edible and what wasn't edible in a forest. He learnt how to track and capture animals. But best of all, he finally learnt how to cook! However, most of the food he made tasted horrible. 

Because of that, his grandmother was forcing him to hunt down pheasants and cook them until they became edible. This was the 54th time he was attempting to cook something edible. "Grandma, can Uncle Xiao please cook this time?" Wei Ying asked, pleadingly. He didn't like eating his own cooking. It honestly tasted horrible. Especially since there weren't any spices added to it. If he added spices, then the food would have tasted edible. But without any burning-tongue or eye-watering spices added into his food, it tasted like shit. It was the same situation in his past life. Grandma replied, "No. I want you to cook me something edible. Otherwise, we won't leave this spot until the next morning." Wei Ying groaned.

Xiao Xingchen watched as Ying'er walked over to the spot were the pheasant fell. When Xiao Xingchen thought about the food the Ying'er was about to cook, he involuntarily twitched. He loved his nephew but . . . Ying'er was not a good cook. This was something that was entirely unique to him. Xiao Xingchen knew that Cangse-jie can cook since she used to cook for the disciples who studied under Shifu in the past. And Wei-ge cooked as evidenced by what everyone in the compound always had for dinner. But Ying'er, he was hopeless at cooking. It wasn't that what he made wasn't edible but, rather, the fact that he would often add very interesting things to his food to make it have more flavor. Like poisonous berries, ivy leaves, or even rotten tree sap. While most of these things won't hurt them due to the fact that they all practiced cultivation, the food wasn't really appropriate to eat.

The worst thing about this was the fact that Ying'er knew that he was a horrible cook. He even admitted to himself that he was horrible at cooking. He either made the food taste weird or he would put too many spices on the food that would burn everyone's tongue off. Xiao Xingchen would still eat the food in order not to hurt Ying'er feelings, but eating the food simply made Ying'er even more depressed.

Baoshan-Sanren watched as her grandson started a fire and began to roast the pheasant over it. Surprisingly, Xiao Ying thrived during the tutelage of her youngest disciple. Taking his lessons of survival like a duck to water, which was a good thing. His spiritual imbalance was correcting itself quite nicely. Having Xiao Ying learn how to survive in the wild was actually A-Chen's suggestion rather than her's. Baoshan-Sanren wanted to continue in her training to correct the spiritual imbalance, however, A-Chen thought that it would be more prudent to let Xiao Ying have a break from the training. So she allowed the survival lessons. However, things were going too smoothly.

She should have expected something to happen. And behold, something did. It appears that Xiao Ying wasn't blessed by their ancestors on the subject of cooking. Most of the food he made sucked. Thankfully, as an Immortal cultivator, most of the food she digested ended up dissolving right in her mouth. Which meant that she didn't have to taste the food that her grandson made. Unfortunately for A-Chen, he didn't have that ability and had to taste his nephew's food everyday. But, Baoshan-Sanren considered it training for him. A-Chen needed to learn how to be poison-resistant and Xiao Ying needed to learn how to cook proper food, or at least edible food. It was a win-win situation for everyone involved.

She still thought that even when Xiao Ying gave her a plate of burnt pheasant slathered with unripe berry juice and surrounded by poisonous mushrooms.

* * *

_WEEK 4_

By this time, Wei Ying had spent a total of three weeks with his grandmother. He was able to fully understand the sort of person she was. So when she began to teach him cultivation, he was completely surprised. "Grandma? Why are you teaching me cultivation?" Grandma turned to face him from her former meditative state. "Why? Do you not want to learn how to cultivate?" She asked. Wei Ying shook his head hurriedly. "No! No, that's not it. It's just, why now?" He asked.

"Tell me, Xiao Ying, has cultivating your spiritual energy been easier for you now?" At that question, Wei Ying thought about his cultivation. Unlike when he first came here, he had a much more easier time in absorbing spiritual energy now. The warm, pleasant current he felt back at 'The Scare' was now more present and available. Not to mention, his personality has settled down quite nicely. His soul was stable and there were no more split personality moments. 

"Grandma . . . does that mean the whole thing with the snakes, being buried alive, and survival lessons was to help me stabilize my spiritual energy?" He guessed. Grandma simply hummed. Wei Ying felt his eyes widen in surprise before he smiled to himself happily. All this time, he thought his grandmother was simply a crazy person who enjoyed torturing him. But to think she did all of that for him! He felt really warm inside. The same feeling he used to feel in his past life, before everything went to shit. It was the same feeling when his father would cook him spicy lotus rib soup and when his mother would sing him to sleep. The same felling when Uncle Xiao praised him for shooting a peasant.

"Oi, stop daydreaming and get back to meditating. If you don't break through to Qi Refining Stage then I will force you to eat your own cooking again." Grandma threatened nonchalantly. At the threat, Wei Ying straightened up and seriously began to meditate. He didn't want to eat his abominations!

So, for an entire week, Wei Ying meditated until he broke through to Qi Refining Stage. And coincidently enough, he broke through right on his birthday. The 31st of October. But that was another story for another day.

* * *

Living with his grandmother was often times confusing and frustrating. She was a woman who was sharp enough to pierce your skin. But she was also soft enough to cuddle him when he was lonely, help him when he fell down or was in pain, and tell him amusing stories of his mother when he was feeling down. Grandma was a person who had a face of a stone statue, but the inside of a soft plush toy. She was . . . 

"Xiao Ying? Are you listening to me? Or are you listening to the echo of your own empty skull?" Grandma deadpanned. Wei Ying snapped his attention back to Grandma. His eyelid twitched. He might have been speechless the first time she roasted him, but now, it just made him mad. "Grandma, I would stop listening to the emptiness of my skull if you would stop talking about the different types of snakes that live in the world. You have already told me this before. About 20 times, in fact. I know which snakes live here. So please, stop." Wei Ying sassily said.

Grandma blinked. "It seems that I have rubbed off on you. Good. Please backtalk your mother when she comes to get you for dinner." Wei Ying sighed. In addition to having an obsession with snakes, his grandmother also had a habit of roasting people. Wei Ying once asked Grandma why she liked roasting people and she said to his face, 'Because the people in this world are like _pigs_ (In China, being called a 'pig' was like the English equivalent of being called 'stupid'). The only way to stop being a pig is to have someone _slap your face_ (In China, having someone 'slap your face' was like the English equivalent of being insulted). No one likes to be slapped on the face, so people will stop being pigs. Thus, I slap you and your mother's face to make sure you don't become pigs.' To be honest, Wei Ying felt that Grandma gave him a bullshit reason and that the only reason she roasts people is because she was born with a poisonous tongue and delighted in the misery of others.

"Grandma, why have you called me here?" Wei Ying asked curiously. Before he came to his grandmother's abrupt lecture about snakes, he was with his uncle learning how to sew clothing. In addition to the survival lessons, Uncle Xiao was also teaching him household lessons like sewing and cleaning. Cooking was taken out of the lesson plans due to the fact that he accidently set himself on fire the first time he used a stove.

Baoshan-Sanren gazed at her grandson with a melancholy expression. He was such a timid person when she first met him but now that he was comfortable around her, more of his true personality came out. He was a perfect mixture of his mother and father. Mischievous yet naïve. He also held some of her own sharpness and humor as well as her wife's simplicity and optimism. Baoshan-Sanren was glad that she was able to see her grandson before she Ascended.

"Wei Wuxian . . ." Grandma began. At that point, Wei Ying started to seriously listen to his grandmother. His grandmother rarely used his courtesy name unless it was something important. " . . . I am going to Ascend soon." She continued on. Wei Ying felt his breath halt. Intellectually, he knew his grandmother was going to Ascend. Uncle Xiao had told him that when they first came to Xian Nu Shan. But it was a vague concept to him. The fact that his grandmother was going to Ascend seemed like something that would happen far off in the future. And yet, now . . . 

"I . . . see." He managed to say. His heart was too twisted to say anymore. Grandma stared at him with soft eyes. "Tomorrow, I will Ascend. You and your family will be able to watch my Ascension. I . . . want you to be there." Wei Ying's eyes watered. He wanted to cry but felt that Grandma would make fun of that. However, all she did was open her arms to him. It was then the tears spilt freely down his face and he began to cry in earnest. He jumped into his grandmother's arms and buried his face into her chest, taking comfort in the warmth she freely gave. 

He didn't want her to leave. He didn't want the good times to end so quickly. He wanted to indulge longer in this fantasy of being surrounded by people who loved him a while longer. For the first time since his first life, Wei Ying felt genuinely, absolutely happy. He selfishly wished that she didn't have to Ascend. Because he knew that if she left, then he and his family would leave as well. His uncle would go on his Spiritual Journey while he and his family would go night hunting. It wouldn't be a bad life to live but there would be something missing. The sense of closeness, with everyone together separated from the outside world. He wished . . . he wished that his life could be frozen in this moment forever!

Baoshan-Sanren held her grandson in her arms tightly. The smell of cinnamon wafted into her nose as sweet as the memories she made with the person in her arms. She was going to miss this. To miss hugging her grandson, teasing her daughter, laughing with her youngest disciple, and cooking with her son-in-law. Still, there was someone waiting for her. So even if she was going to miss these good times, she would still go. Besides, even if she left the mortal realm, she can still watch over her grandson and daughter. In the end, she clutched her small grandchild in her arms gently.

And so, both grandmother and grandson stayed there, in that position. Both hugging each other, taking solace in each other's presence. Words were left unspoken, yet the emotions were perfectly conveyed. All they had was this one, single moment, this short period of time, before a final farewell can be uttered.

* * *

The very next day, everyone in the compound woke up early to escort Baoshan-Sanren to the peak of the mountain. It was there that she would Ascend just like all her other ancestors did in the past. Wei Ying was sitting in his father's arms behind a protective barrier that would keep those who were observing the Ascension safe. Ever since yesterday, Wei Ying has been silent and hasn't talked at all. This was because he didn't know what to say. In his past life, he never had to experience losing someone he loved to something bigger than himself. And he _was_ losing someone. Even if his parents try and tell him that Grandma was just Ascending, Wei Ying knew it wasn't only that. Grandma wasn't only ascending but was also leaving his life forever. This goodbye was almost as permanent as death.  

He watched with puffy, red eyes as his mother and uncle began to clear off the ancient array at the center of the peak while his grandma stepped inside the center of it. Soon, both his mother and uncle left the array and came to join him and his father in standing behind the protective barrier. Everything was still and silent, his grandmother raised a single hand to the sky. A long moment stretched out before bright, purple lightening began to emerge from her hand. The lightening soon left her hand and burst into the sky, targeting a single lone cloud up above the mountain. Once the lightening hit the cloud, the cloud began to darken and spread out covering the pleasant day-lit sky. The sun was blocked out, and soon all he could see were flashes of lightening.

Roars of thunder entered the scene, accompanied by the harsh pattering of the cold rain. Everyone behind the protective barrier was kept warm and dried but his grandmother was soaked to the bone. Wei Ying wanted to yell at her to get out from the rain, but remembered a few moments before opening his mouth, that when people were Ascending it was respectful to stay silent. Even if he opposed the idea of his grandmother leaving his life entirely, he still loved her enough to respect her choices and not put up a protest on her actions. So, Wei Ying stayed silent even when his grandmother began to resemble a drowned cat.

 A loud rumbled came from the clouds, a giant bolt of purple lightening materialized and struck straight at his grandmother. Wei Ying let out a yelp of shock, and almost fell out from his father's embrace. If it wasn't for his father's arms tightening around him at the right time, he would have hit the ground harshly. After the first bolt of lightening, another came. And another. And another. Wei Ying would have jumped out of his father's arms right then and there to check on his grandmother, however, he stayed rooted to his seat. He was able to make out his grandmother's face and saw the wide smile the made its way there. She was happy. Really, really happy. Grandma never smiled, yet now she was smiling. Wei Ying felt bittersweet. He was happy that his grandmother was happy to be Ascending, yet he felt bitter that the price of her happiness was to leave his life forever.

He watched as more and more lightening bolts kept descending on his grandmother's petite form. It was then the very last lightning bolt, filled with highly charged spiritual energy, fell upon her. After that, the clouds began to stretch out, creating a small portal for people to enter. The small portal shined with a heavenly glow around it, a figure stood right in front of the portal. Wei Ying couldn't see the figure since his eyes hurt from just looking in its direction. But judging by the breathless 'Yan Mingzhu' that was uttered from Grandma, he could guess that the person waiting at the portal was his other grandmother, The White Lady.

Wei Ying watched as his grandmother's form began to glow before his very own eyes. Grandma took a step forward in the direction of the portal before hesitating and turning to look at his direction one last time. "Xiao Ying, know that I will always be watching you. Know that I will always be there." Grandma said. She then faced back to the portal and took a giant leap into the figure's arms. A flash of light blinded his eyes. It was only a few moments later that he was able to see again. By that time, the clouds were gone and the sky was clear.

It was as if nothing changed at all.  

* * *

Cangse-Sanren and her entire family along with her Junior Martial Brother stood at the base of Xian Nu Shan. They had just finished watching Shifu Ascend to the Heavens and were now about to split ways with Xiao-di. She watched as A-Ying clutched onto Xiao-di's neck with a tight clasp, crying heavily. She knew that A-Ying was a sensitive child. He was the type of person to attach himself to people who showed him kindness. So she knew he would have difficulty in letting go of people, but seeing him so miserable broke her heart. It was the life of a rouge cultivator to always be on the move and never settle down. A-Ying was accustomed to it, but he never really liked the fact that he had to leave behind the people he became friends with.

"A-Ying . . . come on now. You have to let go of Xiao-di, he needs to leave soon." She tried to coax him off Xiao-di, but all that did was make him burrow further into Xiao-di's arms. She looked helplessly over to her husband. All he did was shrug cluelessly. She didn't know how to deal with this. As someone who was raised to be independent from a young age, she was always able to move forward and never look back. As for her husband, he was raised to be a future right-hand man, so being able to move on was a trait that he needed to have. So this situation was quite a mystery for the both of them.

Xiao Xingchen held the small body in his arms. He felt Ying'er tears soak the front of his shirt and sighed. He then flashed a reassuring smile to his jie jie before speaking softly to the child in his arms. "Ying'er, please look at me." His nephew hiccupped a few times before raising his face to him. His previously puffy, red eyes were even more red, and their were tear streaks that decorated his face. "I know that you're sad to see me leave right after Shifu left but don't cry, okay? This isn't a 'goodbye', this is just . . . a 'see you later'." Xiao Xingchen explained.

His nephew gazed at him with a vulnerability in his eyes. "Promise?" He asked. His pinky finger was raised up in the air. Xiao Xingchen smiled before locking his own pinky finger with Ying'er. "I promise." He declared solemnly. Xiao Xingchen then untangled Ying'er from him and passed him over to his father. Ying'er allowed it, acting like a small doll. Xiao Xingchen then faced Cangse-jie and Wei-ge. "It was nice meeting you. I hope that our paths may cross one day." Wei-ge smiled. "It was nice meeting you too. Good luck on your Spiritual Journey." He said. Xiao Xingchen thanked him before turning away from the small family of three, and walked in the other direction.

Wei Ying watched as his uncle left, the fog covering his disappearing form. His family, after watching Uncle Xiao leave, turned the opposite direction of him and walked forward. All Wei Ying could do was repeat the words he uttered to him.

It wasn't a 'goodbye', just a 'see you later'. 

* * *

**Extra:** How Xiao Xingchen Met Song Lan

Xiao Xingchen had left Xian Nu Shan to go on his Spiritual Journey. Currently he was traveling somewhere near the famous Baixue Temple. He was hunting a particularly troublesome _Bao Xiao_ (man-eating ram with a lion's head). It had just rampaged through a small lake village, so he was chasing it around the place. While running after the evil creature, Xiao Xingchen tripped over a prone body. He got up and turned to face the person he tripped over. It was then he saw that the person he tripped over was a young, handsome man with silky brown hair and black and silver clothing that was shredded to pieces. On his chest was a large slash mark, blood gushed out from the wound and Xiao Xingchen was able to see bones peeking out from his flesh.

Shocked and worried, Xiao Xingchen forgot entirely about the Bao Xiao and instead focused on the man in front of him. He took the persons pulse and was relieved to find a pulse still there. He didn't know what had happen to this mysterious person but knew that he needed help. So, Xiao Xingchen carried the man in his arms in a princess carry and hurriedly ran towards Xian Nu Shan in hopes of his Shifu being able to heal the person in his arms. While running towards Xian Nu Shan, the man briefly woke up. 

"Who . . . are you?" He asked weakly. Xiao Xingchen replied. "I'm Xiao Xingchen. Don't worry. I'm bringing you to someone who can help." The man just coughed some blood. "Xiao . . . Xingchen, huh? My name is  . . . Song Lan." The man passed out soon after. Xiao Xingchen, seeing this, began to make haste towards Xian Nu Shan. He hoped that Song Lan could hold on a little longer. He really didn't want him to die on him. That wouldn't be a great first meeting after all. 

* * *

**Extra:** Reunion

Xiao Xingchen left Xian Nu Shan with his clothes soaked in the tears of his nephew. Even though he was sad about leaving his nephew, he was also happy. He was finally able to meet up with Song Lan. He traveled to Baixue Temple with a rushed pace, wanting to meet his friend once more. When he finally arrived he found his friend praying inside the temple.  

"Song Lan!" Xiao Xingchen greeted. At the sound of his name, Song Lan turned around and faced Xiao Xingchen. A small smile grew on his face upon the sight of his young friend. "Xiao Xingchen." Song Lan greeted back. He stood up from his position on the hard, cold stone floor and made his way to Xiao Xingchen. "I am glad that you came to visit." Song Lan said. Xiao Xingchen nodded his head. "I did say I would visit you, did I not? That is, if the invitation to visit you still applies." Xiao Xingchen asked nervously. "You can visit anytime, of course. Here, let me show you Baixue Temple." Song Lan replied.

Song Lan then began to lead Xiao Xingchen around the temple. Xiao Xingchen smiled to himself. It seems that Song Lan was still willing to be his friend. He was glad.

* * *

**Extra:** How Cangse-Sanren Fell In Love With Wei Changze

Cangse-Sanren was waiting in the meadow where she first met Wei Changze. She was waiting for him to arrive with the food that he had promised to cook for her. It has been a few months since she first met him, but she and Wei Changze became really close during that time. Part of that was because he didn't know who she really was, and treated her just like any other person. Another part of that was because she was the only person who listened to him when he needed to complain about cultivating. It was a mutual relationship. However, lately, Cangse-Sanren began to feel weird around Wei Changze.

Whenever he smiled, she felt her stomach twist into weird shapes. And when he was sad, she felt the need to tease him until his face was lit up in a blush and he forgot about the thing that made him sad. Not to mention, she was always hugging or touching him in someway. Cangse-Sanren was an affectionate person, but when she touched Wei Changze, it was as if she was hyperaware of who she was touching and were she was touching. It was honestly the weirdest thing.

"Cangse-Sanren!" Yelled Wei Changze. Cangse-Sanren turned around and faced him. The sun shined down on his form, making a halo glow around his head. His eyes were bright with the pleasure of seeing her and a gentle smile was on his face. In his arms was a basket of food that he had specially made for her. The spicy aroma flowing out from it was evidence to the fact that Wei Changze remembered that she liked spicy food, and that he had gone through the pains of looking through the entire Lotus Pier market to find her that spice.

Cangse-Sanren felt the familiar tightening of her heart and finally realized something. Oh, she was in love with Wei Changze. When she didn't see Wei Changze and felt lonely . . . when she looked at trinkets and food, wondering if Wei Changze would like them . . . when she wanted to show Wei Changze the evil creature she had defeated or share with him the prizes she won at competitions . . . they were all signs of being in love. She was in love with him. Cangse-Sanren was in love with him. Cangse-Sanren was in love with Wei Changze.

Cangse-Sanren fell in love with Wei Changze on a sunny afternoon, in a secret meadow, surrounded by a gentle smile and a pair of sharp brown eyes.

* * *

**Extra:** How Wei Changze Fell In Love With Cangse-Sanren

Its been a few days since Wei Changze discovered that Cangse-Sanren, the shameless woman who walked around the forest in only her inner wear, was actually a worldwide famous cultivator. He found out about it when Cangse-Sanren decided to crash into the middle of Lotus Pier when he didn't visit their secret spot for a few weeks. If it wasn't for the fact that he was sick, he probably wouldn't have found out about her true identity. When he found out about her identity, he didn't know how to act. As a servant, he should have treated Cangse-Sanren like an honored guest. But seeing her strained eyes and weary smile when he did that . . . he just gave up on it. He began to treat her like how he usually treated her, which made her all the more immensely happy. It might have seemed scandalous to many people but Wei Changze wasn't someone who changed his mind when he made it up about something. And he had made up his mind on treating Cangse-Sanren the way he usually treated her.

After that, Cangse-Sanren began to hang around the Yunmeng Jiang Sect like an honored guest. Or, as he liked to say it, a freeloader. She would often follow him around like a naughty puppy, causing trouble wherever she went. She even started to attend the Yunmeng Jiang Sect's daily night hunts. It was in one particular night hunt that everything went out of control. This night hunt was a joint-hunt with the Gusu Lan Sect as well as the Meishan Yu Sect. The reason why there was a joint-hunt with these two sects was because the monster that the Yunmeng Jiang Sect was hunting ran off into the Gusu Lan Sect's territory. As for the Meishan Yu Sect, Sect Leader was contemplating engaging his Young Master to the Third Lady Yu. An advantageous match. But also a sad one. His Young Master seemed depressed about the engagement, as if he was in love with someone else. Who that could be, Wei Changze couldn't figure out.

Still, that wasn't the most important matter. No, what was the most important matter was what had happened during that night hunt.

"Cangse-Sanren! This isn't such a good idea. We could be in serious trouble for this!" Wei Changze whispered harshly. All Cangse-Sanren did was smile mischievously at him. "If we could get in trouble for this, then why are you here, with me?" She questioned. Wei Changze scrunched up his face. "That's because if I didn't come with you, you would probably make an even bigger mess." He replied. All Cangse-Sanren did was roll her eyes before entering the tent of Lan Qiren, the stuck-up younger brother of the Gusu Lan Heir, quietly. "Shh! We need to be quite if I'm going to shave off this ugly goatee without getting caught." She whispered. Cangse-Sanren then proceeded to shave off Lan Qiren's goatee. There was one tense moment when it seemed like Lan Qiren was about to wake up, but it was just him sneezing. After shaving off the goatee, Cangse-Sanren and Wei Changze left the tent as quietly as they entered.

Once out, they walked some feet away from the tent before Cangse-Sanren laughed out loud. "I can't wait to see what happens when he wakes up and discovers that his goatee was shaved off!" Wei Changze just sighed before reluctantly chuckling. " . . . It was a little funny." Wei Changze admitted. Cangse-Sanren smiled at him. "Of course it was! After all-" "CANGSE-SANREN!" "- Oh, shit. He woke up!" She said. She then grabbed his hands and ran off wildly through the woods.  

They ran as fast as they can, before crashing into another tent. This tent was the tent of Yu Ziyuan, the Third Lady Yu, who was sleeping peacefully before she was rudely awakened with her tent crashing into her. That did not matter to Cangse-Sanren who just got up and pulled Wei Changze away from the crashed tent. However, when she was running, she accidently knocked over a lit lantern on the tent, letting it catch on fire.

"Wait! Cangse-Sanren, stop. That tent's on fire!" Wei Changze yelled. "If we stop, we're going to get the disciplinary whip! Besides, the person inside is a cultivator, she'll survive!" Cangse-Sanren yelled out before pulling him to run even faster. All Wei Changze could do was hopelessly try and match her speed. Soon, the clouds that were blocking the moon drifted away, allowing Wei Changze to see the most beautiful sight he had ever seen in his life. 

The moonlight illuminated Cangse-Sanren's face, making her glow. Her eyes were lit up in excitement and joy, sparkling like the stars in the sky. A beautiful smile graced her pink lips. Cangse-Sanren honestly looked like a dream, a vision. Wei Changze felt his heart skip a beat and his face heat up in a blush. He wished everyday that he could wake up to this scene. 

And so, Wei Changze fell in love with Cangse-Sanren, while running for their lives from angry cultivators, on the high of a semi-successful prank well done.  

* * *

**Extra:** Happy Birthday!

Wei Ying was meditating, as he usually did during the week, at the center of the compound. A slight breeze blew against his face, cooling the droplets of sweat that gathered on his brow. The spiritual energy surrounding him was charged and let off tiny sparks. His breathing was heavy and his eyes were clenched shut. Soon, all the charged spiritual energy was slowly entering his body, causing him to faintly glow. His hair was on edge and his skin was hot to the touch. The barely audible buzzing began to reach an unbelievable pitch before bursting into a single moment of pure white noise. 

Soon, the only sound was silence. Wei Ying slowly opened his eyes. A smile slipped onto his face. He did it. He did it! He finally broke through to Qi Refining Stage! Wei Ying tried to move from his lotus flower position but instead fell down. He slowly and meticulously got up and looked around. His grandmother, who was always watching him when he was meditating, was mysteriously absent. Wei Ying felt uneasy and decided to head towards the dining room of the compound to inform her that he broke through.

While walking through the blank hallways of the compound, he heard some noise up ahead. Being curious, he ran straight into the dining room. Before he could truly register what was happening, all of his family members jumped out from the various scattered pieces of furniture and yelled out, "Surprise!"

Wei Ying yelped in shock before forcefully calming himself down. "What's going on?!" He yelled, surprised. His mother snorted before bopping his nose. "Have you forgotten what day it is? It's your birthday, silly!" She answered. Wei Ying stared blankly at his mother. He actually forgot about his birthday. In his past life his family never really celebrated his birthday. And once he got his reincarnated here, he was too busy focusing on cultivation. 

His father smiled at him. "Come on, A-Ying. I made your favorite spicy lotus rib soup. And your grandmother and uncle brought you presents." When Wei Ying looked over at the mentioned people, in their hands laid wooden boxes tied with festive bows. Looking around at the dining table, seeing all his favorite foods on the table and the faces of all his favorite people, Wei Ying felt extremely touched.

"Happy Birthday!" Everyone yelled. Wei Ying smiled widely, the happiest he has ever been since his first life.  

* * *

**Extra:** Courtesy Name

"Xiao Ying . . ." Baoshan-Sanren called out. Her cute little grandson turned to face her, his newly acquired snake playmate lying upon his shoulders. "Yes, Grandmo-ma." He slightly stuttered. Baoshan-Sanren quirked her lips up in a slight smile before relaxing her face into her usual impassive expression. "Do you know what a courtesy name is?" She asked. Xiao Ying furrowed his brows before nodding his head 'no'. She hummed.

"I see. Your parents should have talked to you about courtesy names and such when you first awakened your spiritual powers. But because of your first night hunt, they probably held it off. Courtesy names are a tradition in the cultivation world. Cultivators are bestowed a courtesy name when someone unlocks their spiritual power. Cultivators do this to separate their 'true selves' or their birth name from the mortal world, in order to Ascend to the Heavens. Courtesy names were used as a cultivators' 'mortal address' in the earthly realm. This has been a practice that has spanned centuries." Baoshan-Sanren explained.

Wei Ying tilted his head to the side in confusion. ". . . and your telling me this because?" Grandma rolled her eyes. "You should be smart enough to figure this out yourself, but since you can't then I will just spell it out for you. I have decided on a courtesy name for you. Remember it well. It is 'Wuxian'. 'To be without envy'." She replied.

" . . . Wei Wuxian . . . " Wei Ying rolled the name off his tongue. For some reason, the name sounded familiar. As if he had heard it somewhere before. But soon that thought left his mind as he registered exactly what his courtesy name meant. "Why 'Wuxian'?" He asked curiously. "You are my grandson. As such, you should not be envious of others. Instead, others should be envious of you. After all, the blood of an intelligent woman flows through your veins. Unfortunately, your mother's blood is there as well." Grandma answered. Hearing this answer, Wei Ying felt exasperated.

So the only reason she named him 'Wuxian' was because she wanted to one-up his mother, _again_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what are your thoughts? Any comments, questions, or rants about this chapter? Know that I will try and respond to each one.
> 
> ~ ApolloGeek27


	6. Dog Days Are Over

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Fetal Death, Blood and Gore, Character Death, Cynophobia (Fear of Dogs)

Its been a few years since Wei Ying had left Xian Nu Shan. During that time, he and his family had been traveling around helping out any town or village plagued by evil creatures. Wei Ying had gotten used to cultivating and how night hunts were conducted by that point. In fact, he had gotten so used to cultivating that he was able to break through to the Foundation Establishment Stage. Not to mention, he was finally able to participate in night hunts. In his last night hunt, he even got to banish _Gu Insects_ (poisonous insects that can spit out acid). Nasty little creatures, they were.

Currently, he and his family were resting in the Miu Village's plaza. They were taking a break from night hunting because the Gu Insects melted both his parents' swords. Right now, his parents were gossiping with other rogue cultivators about the current state of affairs while he was entertaining some children with the cultivation tricks he had picked up in his travels. While he was showing some children how to produce sparks in the air, he kept an ear on his parent's conversation. " . . . Gusu Lan Sect is adding more rules . . . sects are sending their disciples to learn under Lan Qiren . . . have you heard of the twins that the Lan Clan birthed? . . . apparently they are called Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji . . . such elegant names for children with an unknown mother . . . " When one of the rogue cultivators mentioned the name 'Lan Wangji', Wei Ying felt a sense of deja vu.

Lan Wangji . . . Lan Wangji . . . Lan Wangji . . . Now, why did that sound so familiar? It took a few seconds before Wei Ying was able to finally remember where he had heard the name before. When he did, he felt that his entire body was doused with cold water. In his past life, he was neighbors with this manga fan who was obsessed with BL content. One day, the fan dragged him to their house to read their newest obsession with them. They often did this since he always came home dead tired. Wei Ying supposed that sharing their latest obsession with him was a way to cheer him up.

But this new obsession was different. Unlike most of the fan's previous obsessions, they weren't as interested in the story as they were with a character. One specific character.  _Lan Wangji_. The fan was totally obsessed with Lan Wangji. Whenever he came by, they would talk his ear off about him. They would tell him every single detail about Lan Wangji- his favorite food (strawberries), his favorite color (silver), his favorite song ([Forgetting Envies](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2NLP4cFNv4)), and even more. But the thing that was brought up the most was about Lan Wangji's lover, Wei Wuxian.

 _Wei Wuxian_.

Wei Ying had lived far too long in this world to simply dismiss coincidences. In a world where people can became immortals or animals can transform into humans, the idea of being reincarnated into a fictional world, as a fictional character, wasn't really surprising. No, what truly bothered Wei Ying about the whole thing was that he was an uke. Lan Wangji's _uke_.

Who cares about the fact that Wei Wuxian was the main character of the manhua?! Wei Ying was honestly having more of a crisis over the fact that he was paired up with Lan Wangji. The person who dragged his lover to Gusu Lan Sect despite numerous attempted escapes. The person who often tied up his lover. The person who is 'Everyday is Everyday'! Just thinking about a possible future where Wei Ying would be pressed down every single day, with no break in-between . . .  where he would be tied up in a myriad of ways and be screwed in a variety of positions . . . he felt his waist ache in pain. He didn't want that type of future!

Sure, he had nothing personal against Lan Wangji. Lan Wangji was a handsome man whose devotion would be something that all women would swoon about. Not to mention, having sex with a man wasn't repulsive to him. After all, he was formerly a bisexual women. But, simply put it, Wei Ying didn't want his chrysanthemum teared into repeatedly for the rest of his adult life. He didn't want to go through all the pitfalls and traps that his manhua-self went through to get his happy ending. Wei Ying didn't want to suffer like his manhua-self did.

Then there was also the fact that Wei Ying wasn't really Wei Wuxian. Wei Ying was someone who was reincarnated from the 21st Century. Wei Wuxian was the Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation. Sure, they might share some similarities but they were two different people. It would be unfair to enter a relationship with Lan Wangji expecting him to love him just because he was similar to Wei Wuxian. After all, didn't the author, Moxiang Tongxiu, say that Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji were 'meant to be'? So, taking Wei Wuxian's place as Lan Wangji's uke would simply be a slap in the face.

And, in the end, Wei Ying was selfish. He wouldn't trade the happiness he has now for a slim future with someone who might not even love him. Therefore, on behalf of his manly pride and chrysanthemum, he'll fight against his fate with Lan Wangji. Sorry, Lan Wangji, but it seems that he won't get a wife in this lifetime.

"Hey, hey. Gege, show us another trick!" A little boy tugged on his robes. Wei Ying snapped out of his thoughts and smiled at the little boy. He decided to push the matter with the manhua and Lan Wangji revelation to the back of his head and, instead, focus on the children in front of him. "Sure, sure. Just wait here. I will show you another trick." Wei Ying left the crowd of children near the plaza before going down into a nearby alleyway. A minute ago, he had seen a snake slither by into the alleyway. He thought it would be neat to talk to a snake in front of the children. He knew he could control the snake, so it would be easy to entertain the children with it. 

There, near the wall of the alley, a snake was swallowing the remains of a rat. When Wei Ying came, the snake whipped around to hiss menacingly at him before registering his scent. After smelling him, the snake curiously slithered near him. Wei Ying just put his hand in front of him, waiting for the snake to climb on it. And, true to his predictions, after a few minutes of smelling him the snake slithered onto his hand and rested its head on his shoulder. Wei Ying smiled briefly at the snake before leaving the alleyway.

He went back to the gathering of children who, when seeing the snake in his arms, stepped back in fear. "Gege! Why do you have a snake in your arms?!" One of the children asked fearfully. "Well, my trick involves the snake of course! Don't worry, it won't bite." Wei Ying reassured them. Some of them looked scared while others were hesitantly coming back closer to him, wanting to see the trick.

Once most of the children were close enough, Wei Ying ordered the snake to dance on his arms. And, in front of the disbelieving eyes of the children, the snake began to dance. Wei Ying smiled at the looks of awe and interest that the children made. While he was traveling, he had learned from experience that snakes would always listen to whatever he said. It didn't matter if they were regular snakes, spirit beast snakes, or even demon snakes. As long as they were a snake, they would do whatever he said. It was one of the simple perks he got from being related to The White Lady.

When Cangse-Sanren looked over at the scene, her eyes softened. She was happy that A-Ying was having fun. She rested her hand on her enlarged belly and smiled. Seeing her son act so brotherly towards other children, she knew that A-Ying would be the best big brother in the world for the little one. She couldn't wait for the little one to come soon. It would probably take a few more months before the baby was due.

In fact, she should probably stop going on night hunts until the baby was out. Not only would it be bad for the baby, but her husband might have a nervous breakdown soon. He never really liked the fact that she would go on night hunts while she was pregnant. She remembered the time when she was pregnant with A-Ying and went on a night hunt. When she came back, she was pretty bruised up. Wei Changze almost popped a blood vessel from how frantic he was.

But she couldn't help it. As a Ascension-level cultivator, sitting back to take care of the baby wasn't something that she felt comfortable with. She wasn't handicapped. She was just pregnant. And being pregnant didn't mean she couldn't handle herself. Which is why she would often go on night hunts when she was pregnant. She would only stop when her belly would hinder her. However, it seemed that she would stop going on night hunts a lot earlier than she did when she was pregnant with A-Ying. She grimaced, remembering the reason why. God, she really hated Gu Insects.  

Unknown to everyone in the plaza, a pair of cruel eyes watched in interest as Wei Ying continued to order the snake about. A cold-blooded smile crept onto to the hidden person's face. A whisper filled with murderous intention was the only thing that was heard from the shadowed man.

"I found you~."

* * *

Wei Ying was holding his father's white bamboo flute in his hands. At present, he was tying his mother's jade pendent to the flute in boredom. He was staying in the inn room with his mother, who was sleeping peacefully on the bed. His father was out right now, trying to find bread with plum jam to satisfy Mother's cravings. Living with a pregnant women was often times exhausting. His mother would often have cravings for food with weird combinations. Not to mention, she would sometimes fall asleep at random times. Thankfully, Mother only had a plain craving this time. She was also sleeping on a schedule which took a burden off of Father's shoulders. Having a irregular sleep schedule while pregnant wasn't a good thing.

He was bored though. Wei Ying was so used to staying up at night for the night hunts that he didn't feel sleepy now. So, instead of trying to sleep, he decided to mess around with his parents' stuff. Which is why he was tying his mother's jade pendant to his father's flute. He was almost finished in tying the pendant onto the flute when the door was slammed open. He yelped in shock, turning around quickly to see the person who would make such a noise. In the doorway, was his father who was breathing heavily, out of breath. His mother woke up and rubbed her eyes. Before either he or his mother could say something, Father uttered one sentence that made his blood run cold.

"The Triad is here!"

Back in his previous world, the Triad was known as organized crime in China, the Chinese Mafia so to speak. However, in the cultivation world, the Triad was a secret society that was dedicated to keeping the cultivation world 'pure'. In other words, it was their duty to find those who split off into the orthodox or heretic cultivation path and exterminate them. But there was also another purpose for them. It was their duty to kill half-breeds and any person related to spirit beasts. 

During his time traveling, Wei Ying realized exactly why his mother told him that he shouldn't tell anyone of his identity of being the grandson of the Immortal of Xian Nu Shan and The White Lady. It was not only because he was related to an Immortal but, also, because he was someone who had 'dirty' blood. It was a belief in the cultivation world that people who had children with spirit beasts were abnormal and that their children were no better than savage animals. This was all tied in with the very first half-breed, Mao Hui the Accursed. 

Long ago, a beautiful golden dragon fell in love with a prince of a small kingdom. To stay with the prince, the dragon turned into a beautiful woman and married him. They were in love and even had a child together. However, one day, the prince fell deathly ill. To save the prince, the dragon sold all of her scales to nurse the prince back to health.

It should have been a romantic story ending with the prince becoming healthy once more and living with the dragon in eternal harmony. It should have been a sweet story where the prince finds out his wife was a dragon but still loved her anyway regardless of species. But, it wasn't.

The prince recovered from the illness. However, when he found out that his wife was a dragon . . . he executed her. The child he had with the dragon, Mao Hui, was sent into exile for being an abomination of nature. The prince ended up marrying another woman and had another child to inherent the throne. Mao Hui, upon finding out that his mother was killed and the his father abandoned him for a normal wife and child, was furious. He vowed to take vengeance upon the prince and the kingdom for the pain it had caused his mother. 

Many years had passed, Mao Hui came back to the kingdom ready to exact his vengeance. He was a very powerful person due to the divine beast blood he had inherited from his mother. So, it was easy enough for him to enter the kingdom and kill the prince and his new family in their very own home. However, Mao Hui didn't stop there. He went on a rampage in the kingdom, killing people wherever he went. It took the cooperation of the North, West, South, and East Sects back in the old days to finally kill him.

From then on, Mao Hui was known as Mao Hui the Accursed due to the devastation that he had brought upon the small kingdom. Because of him, all half-breeds were targeted to die. In the cultivation world, half-breeds were symbols of evil and devastation. There was no mercy shown on them. It didn't matter if they were good people or not, in the eyes of the world, they were creatures that should be killed. It was a miracle that Wei Ying's father still loved his mother even after knowing she was a half-breed. But, then again, Father was the type of person who would never discriminate against someone else for what they were or what they did. It was what made him the person that Mother fell in love with.

And the only reason that his grandparents weren't targeted was because they killed anyone who came after them. Not to mention, the cultivation world didn't know that they had a child so they wouldn't provoke Baoshan-Sanren and The White Lady unnecessarily. They might think the fact that their romance was disgusting, but as long as no child came from their union then all was fine. If they did know then it would be a whole other story. Its also one of the reasons why disciples under Baoshan-Sanren are respected and not spit upon. 

Still, the fact that the Triad was here in Miu Village was bad. Especially since his mother was pregnant and under restriction in using her spiritual energy. Not to mention, even if his father was at Nascent Soul Stage, he didn't have his sword with him. Which meant that they were in serious danger. But, how did they find out?

"Do they know about us?" Mother asked worriedly. Father nodded grimly. "They were asking people around in the market where they can find a pregnant women and her husband and child. I think they night have seen A-Ying playing with the snake and found us." Wei Ying felt his heart stop beating for a moment. He couldn't believe that he was stupid enough to put his family in danger. Especially in such a time when they were very helpless. Mother took a sharp breath before standing up.

"We need to leave now!" She then began to pack things up. Wei Ying pushed down his feelings for the moment and helped her. Father came with his assistance and, in no time at all, everything was packed. Father carried all of their things while Mother held him in her arms. Wei Ying clutched Father's flute and whispered softly. "I'm sorry." Mother simply looked at him in the eyes, her eyes crinkled in exhaustion. "It's not your fault, A-Ying, ok? Sometimes life happens. All we can do is accept what we are given and make the best out of it."   

Father nodded. "It's time we left." He said. He then began to lead Mother out through the back door of the inn and into the woods surrounding the area. Deeper and deeper they went. The sky was dark and the night was quiet. The only sound was his parent's heavy breathing and the steady 'thump-thump' of their footsteps. The road was tricky at night, branches and roots often caused his Mother to stumble and slow down. Just when Wei Ying thought that they might make it through the forest alive, a demonic howl broke through the night. Wei Ying felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and his eyes widened in fear.

"W-what was that?" Wei Ying asked quietly. as if by his mere voice alone the creature who howled would find him. "We must run. Now." Mother said with a hard tone. Everyone began to pick up their pace. Snarls and barks followed right after them. Wei Ying looked behind him to see glowing eyes in the dark. The beat of his heart was unnaturally loud in his head. His breath shuttered as the creature snapped its jaws at him. There were wolves, four, large, furious _wolves_ . They were made out of wood, from rotten bark and crunched up leaves. They looked unnatural and monstrous. And they were right behind them. Chasing them like prey.

Father began to throw their things behind him, hoping to slow down the wolves. Some of their things hit them, but all that seemed to do was make the wolves angry. Mother was beginning to slow down, tired from being woken up in the night and carrying him. Father seemed to have noticed. A rare hesitant, expression came over his face. The expression soon changed into one of determination. 

Father stopped running and turned to face the incoming threat. Mother, seeing this, turned around as well. "Wei Changze! What are you doing?! Come, run!" She yelled. "Cangse-Sanren, take A-Ying and run. Please!" A terrible knowledge shined in his eyes, and yet, all Father did was smile. He took one last glimpse of them before running towards the wolves and clashing with them.

Cangse-Sanren's eyes widen. She took one step forward before she felt a tiny hand clutch her hair. "Father!" A-Ying yelled. She took one look at her son before she looked at her husband. He was bleeding from the side where a wolf clawed at him. His right leg was limping from kicking away one of the wolves. Right now, all four wolves were circling him, making it the perfect time for Cangse-Sanren and A-Ying to escape.

It was in that one moment, Cangse-Sanren knew what she had to do. She turned to her son and cupped his face. "A-Ying, listen to me. No matter what happens, stay alive. My deepest wish is for you to stay alive, understand?" Her voice was low and serious, all A-Ying could do was look at her with tears in his eyes. "Mother . . . ?" He asked shakily. Cangse-Sanren closed her eyes and kissed her son's head, knowing that this was going to be the last time she ever saw him again. She then ran to a tree that had a burrow big enough to fit a child in there, and pushed A-Ying in. He went in, clutching his father's flute and her jade pendant. Once he was in, she took out a talisman and put it in front of the burrow. The talisman glowed a brief gold, forming a protective barrier around the burrow and her child. 

A-Ying seemed to have gained awareness of the situation and began to pound on the barrier. "Mother . . . ? Mother! Mother?!" He yelled in confusion. All she could do was smile before turning around and rushing towards her husband. One of the wolves was biting his leg, dragging him towards itself. Another one was trying to bite his face off, its teeth snarling close by, only held off by Wei Changze's forearm. While he was focused on that, one of the remaining two wolves used the opportunity to bite his throat. The rotten teeth sunk easily into the flesh, blood spattered onto its muzzle giving the wolf a more gruesome appearance. The last wolf was gnawing into Wei Changze's other arm, already separated from the broken body. 

Seeing this, Cangse-Sanren screamed in a terrifying rage that was usually silent. She ripped off the wolves from her husband's prone body with a strength powered by divine anger, and cradled her husband in her arms. Wei Changze looked into her eyes, his very life fading from his body. A smile smeared with blood was all that was directed at her before his body went limp. Tears fell on his face. A sob was stuck in her throat. It was only when she heard the barks that she remembered. Her husband died because of these wolves. He died because of them. Because of these disgusting, _rotten, HORRIBLE **CREATURES**_ **-**

Cangse-Sanren turned around and screamed her fury at the wolves. She attacked with a maniac energy, trying to rip apart her enemies with her bare hands. She began to glow with an holy light, blood began to slip down her legs. Still, she ignored anything and everything, focused on only tearing apart the thing that took the love of her life away from her. It was only when she fell on the ground, her stomach cramping with blood pouring out in large amounts, that she realized what she had done. Her husband was _dead_. And, now, her baby was dying.

Cangse-Sanren laughed crazily, tears falling from her eyes. A wolf attacked her from the side, biting into her arm and shaking her down to the ground. Another wolf clawed her stomach, ripping out her baby and exposing the small fetus to the dark, cruel world. The fetus was still moving around, more noticeably strained. Cangse-Sanren tried to grab her baby but, before she could, another wolf clamped its jaws on the fetus. The fetus tried to move before stopping, dead. The other wolf was still gnawing on her husband's body, more content to eat his flesh then fight with its packmates for the other humans. 

Cangse-Sanren felt broken. All she could do was weakly fight against the wolves with her one arm. She glanced towards the burrow where A-Ying was hiding before closing her eyes. A-Ying, A-Ying. Please forgive this shameful mother. Her eyes opened once more, a defeated yet vindictive glint in her eyes. She took out one talisman from her sleeves and activated it. The blinding light from the seal caused the wolves to come closer. A tired smile rested on her lips.

" _Goodbye_."

An explosion destroyed everything in its path. 

* * *

Silence.

Pure silence.

The stench of vomit stung his eyes, but all Wei Ying could do was stare at the burnt, empty field. Minutes, days, years might have passed. Yet all Wei Ying did was stare at the last place where his parents were. Dried tear stains itched his skin, his throat was dry. And, still, Wei Ying stared at the scene in front of him. It was only when the wind blew through the filed that Wei Ying took a shaky breath. 

_"My deepest wish is for you to stay alive, understand?"_

Wei Ying crawled out of the burrow and stood up on unsteady legs. His head felt foggy, as if he wasn't truly there anymore. He took another breath, the smell of burnt flesh threatened to make him throw up again. Instead, he took a breath from his mouth and clutched tightly to the only memento he had of his parents. And, oh, god. Oh, god. His little sibling. Oh, god. Oh my god. His parents were dead they were dead _they were dead deadDEAD **DEADTHEYWEREDEAD-**_

Wei Ying took a deep breath. In and out. In and out. In and out.

His head still felt foggy, and his limbs felt as if they weighed a ton. He . . . he didn't know what to do. But, but he did, didn't he? M-Mother said, she said he had to live. He had to live. So, that was what he was going to do. He was going to live.

Another breeze blew through the field.  

Wei Ying walked North. His footsteps unsteady and clumsy. But persistent. He was quiet because he knew that the Triad would still be looking around. Still, he walked. And walked. And walked.

Far North, away from death and destruction. From heartbreak and pain. To a new, uncertain future.

_(Far from Yunmeng Jiang Sect,_

_from a brother and sister,_

_a father and a home,_

_from a destiny that was written in the very_ stars _._

_After all,_

_wasn't this what he wanted?_

_A price had to be paid._

_Did he think that he could get his happy ending so easily?_

_What a silly person.)_

* * *

The tea cup fell to the ground, shattering into millions of ting shards. And, yet, Jiang Fengmian didn't care. He stared at the disciple in front of him, going over the information that had just been given to him.

_"Wei Changze and Cangse-Sanren are dead."_

A ringing noise echoed through his head. His friends. His dear, dear friends. They were . . . they were dead. Heavens. For one second, he felt like a small child again, confused and lost without his servant, Wei Changze, near him. His breath came out unsteady, and his hand shook ever so lightly. Jiang Fengmian sat down, inelegantly. His mind circling through thoughts and emotions faster than he could name. The stray thought of their child passes through his head, and Jiang Fengmian clings to it with a desperation of a drowning man. 

"Is there any news about their child?" He asks, a faint hope in his heart. Heavens. He . . . he can't believe they were dead. It seemed like only yesterday that they were alive and well. Sending letters and pictures depicting their travel, bragging about their son and informing him of all the latest rumors that they could get their hands on. And yet, and yet . . . they were dead. E-Even if he couldn't be there for his friends, for Wei Changze. Maybe he can be there for his child.

Years and seasons might have passed, but it has never extinguished the love Jiang Fengmian had for Wei Changze. But the love he felt for Wei Changze was no longer as passionate, as bright, as it was in the past. The passage of time and heartbreak had wore it down into a nostalgic memory, a fantasy forever beautiful. Jiang Fengmian will never forget his first love but . . . he has moved on. Moved on to a women with jagged edges and sharp words. A women who had given him two beautiful children and a happy married life.

Even so, he couldn't forget Wei Changze. He couldn't forget Cangse-Sanren. He couldn't forget his friends who have always been their for him, who have always supported him to the best of their ability. He knew his wife would be angry at him, furious even. She never liked Cangse-Sanren or Wei Changze. Bringing back their child would surely incur her wrath. But he had to find the child. He just had to. Because they were the son of Wei Changze and Cangse-Sanren.

And so, he looked at the disciple with a desperate expectation. The disciple looked uncomfortable being under the Sect Leader's stare, but he answered with all the poise and dignity he could. "There has been no news of their child. Their death is also a mystery. It was believed that they died on a night hunt. Not much was known of their condition. It was only confirmed that they died due to the leftover spiritual energy." Jiang Fengmian sighed with relief. 

Don't worry, Wei Changze, Cangse-Sanren. He will find their son and take care of him. He promises.

* * *

 **Extra:**  Proposal

Jiang Fengmian watched from the head of the table as his best friend and his honored guest were making eyes at each other. A ripple of jealousy spread through his chest. Thankfully, his face was fixed in his usual serene expression, not allowing anyone to know of the turmoil underneath. He glanced at the side and saw his soon-to-be bride's, Yu Ziyuan's, expression of distaste. They were in the dining hall of Yunmeng Jiang Sect, celebrating their finalized engagement. So, Yu Ziyuan should not have been unhappy. After all, it was her sect who wished for the union. 

However, he gazed at the direction she was staring at, just in time to witness Cangse-Sanren plop a dumpling into Wei Changze's mouth. He finally understood why she was unhappy. Ever since the time Cangse-Sanren burned down her tent, Yu Ziyuan had always held a grudge against her. Seeing the person who embarrassed her at her own engagement banquet must be humiliating. Unfortunately, Cangse-Sanren was his sect's honored guest. Therefore, she was allowed to attend.

He watched as Wei Changze blushed a bright red before scolding Cangse-Sanren. All she did was laugh before shoving another dumpling to Wei Changze's face. Wei Changze glared at her, then he reluctantly ate the dumpling, his face still red. Jiang Fengmian tightly clutched the scroll in his hands. For a brief moment, he thought about not doing what he promised. Of backing out. But then, Cangse-Sanren glanced at him with a question in her eyes.

Jiang Fengmian sighed. He then slowly rose up from his seat. The dining hall became silent. Jiang Fengmian gazed around the silent hall before his gaze rested on Wei Changze. Wei Changze was sitting upright in his seat, his sole attention focus only on him. And, once again, he had a brief moment where he did not want to do anything. Where he could back out and pretend nothing ever happened. But then, he remembered Wei Changze's yearning face.

_"I love her."_

From the corner of his eyes, he saw Cangse-Sanren. She looked at him with all-too-knowing eyes, and an amused grin on her face. It was moments like these that Jiang Fengmian irrationally hated the fact that he was friends with her. She knew him too well. But then again, they were both very similar. After all, they fell in love with the same person. He gazed at the scroll in his hand, the only thing tying Wei Changze to him, the only thing that showed the world that Wei Changze was _his_.

Jiang Fengmian breathed in, then he breathed out. He buried his desires and wants deep in his heart. "Cangse-Sanren! Here. Take it. The life-long servant contract of Wei Changze. May you be blessed with the same devotion that Wei Changze has shown me throughout the years." He threw the contract at her before slowly sitting down. 

He turned to the side and saw Yu Ziyuan look at him with surprise and suspicion. She was about to ask him a question before a loud gasp turned her attention back to the scene happening between Cangse-Sanren and Wei Changze.

Wei Changze watched with wide eyes as Cangse-Sanren ripped his servant contract, the only thing that made his status as a servant legal, up in sherds. Her eyes were glowing with a sense of pride and her lips were stretched into a wide smile. She turned to face him, pieces of paper still floating down to the ground surrounding her. "Wei Changze . . . would you do me the honor and privilege of becoming this shameless woman's lawfully wedded husband? Of loving this troublemaker until we're gray and old? Of following this wild child on an adventure of a lifetime, just the both of us?" She asked, sincere. 

Wei Changze felt like something was stuck in his throat. He didn't know what to do. He gazed at Cangse-Sanren's hopeful face, a feeling of happiness surging up in his chest. All he could do was follow his heart. So, without any hesitation he said . . .

"Yes!"

Cangse-Sanren's face lit up like stars in the sky. She was about to reach for Wei Changze's face to kiss him. However, at this point in time, Yu Ziyuan, who was quiet for the entire spectacle, decided to make her opinion on the blossoming romance entirely clear. "Cangse-Sanren! How dare you! You're causing a scene during my engagement banquet." She yelled. Cangse-Sanren just smiled at her. "Since I'm making a scene, then I will leave! But I'm taking my new groom with me." Then, without any hesitation, she grabbed Wei Changze's hand and ran out of the dining hall with laughter. Leaving behind a raging Yu Ziyuan and a smiling yet sad Jiang Fengmian.

* * *

 **Extra:**  Marriage

Wei Changze was wearing a red and gold  _xuanduan_ (traditional Chinese wedding attire for men), sitting on a bed with two embroidered quilts on it. He was currently in one of the various rooms in Tam Kung Temple, near Qishan Wen Sect. When Wei Changze had agreed to marry Cangse-Sanren, he thought that they would get married the traditional way - with him seeking out the bride while she would be waiting for him on the wedding bed. But instead, here he was, sitting on the wedding bed that the bride would usually be at, waiting for Cangse-Sanren to come and get him.

Honestly, at this point, Wei Changze didn't think he could call himself a man anymore. But before he could go on a mental tangent, the door to the room opened. Wei Changze quickly snapped his attention back to the door and felt breathless. There in the doorway, stood Cangse-Sanren. She was wearing a _xunran_ (traditional Chinese wedding attire for women) made of red and gold. In her hair was a beautiful jade pendant that added a sort of elegance to her appearance. Her face was lightly powdered with makeup, enough to highlight her features but not obscure it. She was one of the most gorgeous women he had ever seen.

Cangse-Sanren watched as her soon-to-be husband admired her with awe. She preened under his gaze and felt that the three hours spent in the woman's dressing room was worth his appreciation. While he looked at her, Cangse-Sanren roamed her eyes over Wei Changze's form. She traced her eyes over the elegant designs on the clothing and lingered on where the xuanduan tightened around his form, emphasizing his muscles and build. She smiled when she saw that his hair, which was always tied up in some fashion, was loose and spilling over his back like a waterfall. Looking at him, she felt as if she gazing upon a refined scholar who was ready to memorize her body in his mind.

No words needed to be said. Cangse-Sanren moved towards Wei Changze and rested her hands upon his shoulder. In response, Wei Changze gripped her waist and pulled her closer to him. They gazed at each other before Cangse-Sanren leaned down to kiss him. Wei Changze moved up and met her halfway. The kiss they had was slow and chaste, relishing the intimacy in the action. After the kiss, they broke apart. Their eyes glowed with desire, their hearts beat as one.

They kissed once more before losing themselves to each other, and the pleasures of the night. 

* * *

 **Extra:**  Pregnancy

Wei Changze gazed at his wife's enlarged belly with a tenderness that only first-time fathers had. He had never thought he would have a child. Ever since he was young, he thought it was his fate to live and die for the Yunmeng Jiang Sect. Love and marriage never crossed his mind. So, having a child was very unexpected. However, it was a nice surprise to have. He rubbed the belly and felt a tiny kick. A smile crossed his face. He quickly took a peek at his wife's sleeping face before bringing his own face down to her stomach.

"Hello, little one." He greeted softly. Another kick was his response. Wei Changze felt his heart was melting. But he frowned a few seconds later. He thought back to the fortune teller that he had hired to tell his child's fortune today. He remembered the fortune teller saying 'This child shall go down the path less traveled and that would make all the difference in the world'. Neither he nor his wife could understand what the fortune teller was trying to tell them. But it gave them an ominous feeling.

Another kick to his hand brought him out of his somber mood. Wei Changze looked back down at his wife's belly and smiled once more. It didn't matter if he didn't understand the fortune teller. As long as he was alive, he would face the future head-on with his family on his side. Nothing would happen to them while he was around. He'll make sure of it. 

* * *

 **Extra:** Love Long Awaited

Baoshan-Sanren sighed, the arms around her tightened. She raised her head to gaze at her wife's face. Yan Mingzhu smiled at her, her eyes soft with love. " . . . I missed you." Baoshan-Sanren said. She slowly rubbed her wife's back, relishing in the fact that she could. Yan Mingzhu nuzzled her face into Baoshan-Sanren's chest and hummed. "I missed you, too." 

They stayed in that position. Comfortable in being in each other's arms. It has been centuries since they have seen each other. Sure, Yan Mingzhu could watch over Baoshan-Sanren from her palace in the Heavens, but it wasn't the same as being in her wife's embrace. Besides that, Baoshan-Sanren never had that advantage. She was stuck in the mortal realm with only her memories of the sweet times they shared together, and their daughter, who later left her for broader horizons. So it wasn't strange for the lovers to familiarize themselves with each other's bodies once again.  

"Hey . . . " Yan Mingzhu started. Baoshan-Sanren grunted, too immersed in her wife's presence to answer properly. " . . . you want to throw rocks at the Jade Emperor's palace?" Baoshan-Sanren looked blankly at Yan Mingzhu before chuckling. "My dear, dear wife. We have been separated for centuries, and the first thing you want to do when we have just been reunited is get imprisoned for assaulting the Heavenly Ruler?" Yan Mingzhu flushed a lovely shade of pink before shyly nodding her head. Baoshan-Sanren's face might have been expressionless, but her eyes were lively in a way that only Yan Mingzhu could inspire.

"My wife is so silly." She deadpanned. Yan Mingzhu giggled before cupping her wife's face. "Well, since I'm so silly, perhaps I might be cured with a kiss from my beloved?" She teased. Baoshan-Sanren felt amused. "Hmm . . . let's hope so." She replied. She then leaned in to finally get her long-awaited kiss. 

The Jade Emperor watched from the sidelines as Yan Mingzhu and her wife were enthusiastically enjoying their reunion. Their eyebrow twitched in anger at the scene. How dare Yan Mingzhu suggest throwing rocks at their palace! Once the couple were finished with their disgusting display of affection, the Jade Emperor was going to drag that troublesome snake by the tail to the Punishment Hall. He was not going to go easy on her at all. Really, saying such disrespectful things right in front of him! Did she truly forget the fact that he was walking right behind her?! 

What a shameless person!

* * *

 **Extra:** The World's Shock

When Baoshan-Sanren Ascended from the mortal plane, the entire cultivation world stood up in shock. 

In the Yunmeng Jiang Sect, the current Sect Leader, Jiang Fengmian, and his wife, Yu Ziyuan, looked up at the dark and gloomy sky from their sect meeting with surprise. "Hasn't it been 35 years since someone has Ascend?" Yu Ziyuan furrowed her brows. Jiang Fengmian put his cup of tea down. "Yes. The White Lady had Ascended to the Heavens back then. No one knew why. But now, someone else has Ascended . . . "

In the Gusu Lan Sect, the famous Lan cultivator, Lan Qiren, watched as Heavenly Tribulation Lightening began to form in the pitch black sky and felt his eye twitch. " . . . Cangse-Sanren, what did you do now?" He might not know why Baoshan-Sanren was Ascending, but this matter had Cangse-Sanren written all over it. 

In the Lanling Jin Sect, Sect Leader Jin Guangshan was too busy fondling the breasts of one of the many prostitutes that he had hired over to Carp Tower while his wife and heir were away, to truly notice the spectacle that was occurring in present time.

In the Qinghe Nie Sect, Nie Bingwen, the leader of the Qinghe Nie Sect, stopped yelling instructions to his exhausted disciples to peer at the sky. A smirk rested on his face at the flashes of purple lightening he witnessed. "So, its once again a race to the top of the cultivation world, huh? Well, if so, then my Qinghe Nie Sect is up to the challenge!" He declared.

In the Qishan Wen Sect, the most famous cultivator of the generation, lounged on his throne like a lazy cat. His eyes regarded the inky sky with neither surprise nor curiosity. Instead, the Qishan Wen Sect leader, Wen Ruohan, gazed at the scene with bemusement as the Ascension of Baoshan-Sanren disrupted the delicate balance between the Five Great Sects. "It seems that the games have just begun." He chuckled darkly, anticipation lit up his eyes. 

* * *

 **Extra:** Pictures Of Xian Nu Shan and Mingzhu Lake

_Xian Nu Shan_

__

_Mingzhu Lake_

 

 

* * *

 **Extra:** Pictures Of Wooden Wolves, Jiangshi, and Gu Insect

_Wooden Wolves_

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what are your thoughts? Any comments, questions, or rants about this chapter? Know that I will try and respond to each one.
> 
> ~ ApolloGeek27


	7. A Smile Worth A Thousand Cranes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the streets of Liaocheng,  
> a boy and man cross paths.  
> With such a doll-like face,  
> the boy is taken home.  
> Yet for the man,  
> all he desired was a smile.  
> And so, a thousand cranes were folded  
> to make his wish come true.
> 
> ~ Wei Ying, courtesy name Wuxian, to Shu Ru

A man stood near a cabbage stand, examining the wares that the elderly man was selling. His ebony hair spilled across his cream and peach robes. His pink petaled lips were pursued in thought, making his youthful face seem elegant and noble. His long, thin fingers held a cabbage as if it were a precious jewel. His blue eyes then turned to look at the elderly man. "Mister, how much for these cabbages?" He asked. The elderly man smiled. "Why, you can have them for free, Shu Ru! Think of it as repayment for helping my wife out with her groceries the other day." Shu Ru shook his head. "I can't do that, Mister. I helped your wife because I wanted to, not for any other reason."

The elderly man ruefully sighed, "Ah, I don't suppose I can change your mind, can I?" All Shu Ru did was place his money on the cabbage stand. "Well then, here, take this cabbage. Best of the lot it is! Don't be a stranger now, Shu Ru." Shu Ru took the cabbage from the elderly man and smiled at him before walking away. He waved to some of the merchants he recognized from the morning market and hid his face from some of the people he saw from work. He didn't want anyone who knew him from his job to see him here at the market. That would only cause trouble for him.

He finally exited the busy market place and began the lonely trek home. The path he took was dirty and worn with weeds growing near the edges. The trees on each side were dense and dark, making the path look even more ragged. If it wasn't for the fact that he had walked this path a million times he would have been terribly frightened going through the forest. But, then again, it was his fault for picking a small cottage away from the town. He never regretted it though. It was a small, secluded place that allowed him to separate himself from his job. It was something he needed during these times, otherwise, he would have long gone crazy. 

A nearby bush rustled, Shu Ru froze. He had lived long enough in the Liaocheng area to know that this place was dangerous. The animals were vicious and the plants could kill you easily with poison. Anyone without any modicum of survival skills would die instantly. This was a brutal land, with a rough terrain and terrible weather. A place where only the persistent can survive. So, when Shu Ru heard the bush rustle, he had instinctively froze and placed his hand on the small knife he always carried around with him.

A small child popped out from the bush. His clothes were in tatters and grime covered his face. His hair sprouted out leaves and his eyes were glassy. He was holding something in his hands but it was overlooked in favor of the blood that covered his hands. The boy took a few steps forward from the bush before he collapsed. When Shu Ru saw the child collapse, he ran towards him with haste. Despite being wary of the child- after all, many street orphans would pull the same trick on him to steal money -Shu Ru didn't think that the child was faking his collapse. First of all, he was far away from the market which is where most street orphans would pull this trick. Second of all, the child seemed too weak to truly have enough energy to steal from him. 

When Shu Ru approached the child, he placed his hand on the child's forehead. His body was burning up. It seemed that he had a fever. Shu Ru glanced at the child and had a moment of indecision. He had two options, leave the child here to die . . . or take him home and help him. Shu Ru sighed and smiled wryly. Even if he had a moment to think over it, his heart had already decided on the choice the moment he saw the child. Shu Ru gently pulled the weak child in his arms and began to carry him to his home. It seemed that his cottage was going to have an extra guest.

* * *

Wei Ying kept walking and walking. He didn't know where he was going. Was it East? West? South? Maybe it was North. He couldn't tell anymore. His feet ached horribly. His head felt fuzzy, everything blurred into a mess of greens and browns. Night and day were indistinguishable. He can't remember the last time he stopped to eat or sleep. His limbs felt too long, too short. He breathed in brief pants. His body felt heavy and hot. 

He tripped on something and fell to the ground, like a puppet without strings. His face was pressed against the dirt floor and all he could hear were footsteps. Something picked him up and carried him. He clutched his father's flute and mother's pendant tighter to his chest but, otherwise, didn't move. His eyes were shut closed, weighed down by his mental fatigue. Soon, the swaying motion from being carried gently lulled him to sleep. 

The next time he was conscious, a shadowy figure placed its cool hand on his forehead. "Father . . . Mother . . ." Wei Ying whimpered. The shadowy figure said something but Wei Ying blocked it out, focusing on the pleasant sensation of having something cold on his feverish skin. He breathed in and out before the comforting darkness of sleep dragged him to the land of dreams once more. He woke up a couple more times, the blurriness in his eyes vanishing each time. Until, one day, Wei Ying woke up fully alert and awake.

". . . ugh . . ." Wei Ying tried to speak, however, his throat was dry. A man turned to look at him, a smile on his lips. "Oh, you're awake! Thank goodness. I was afraid that the fever wouldn't break soon." The man was holding a cup of water and placed it by his lips. Wei Ying took a few sips, grateful for the cool sensation that flowed down his throat. "All better now?" Wei Ying nodded, silent.

"My name is Shu Ru. This is my home you are currently in. I found you collapsed near the path to my home. You are?" Shu Ru asked. Wei Ying stared at him for sometime. He didn't feel too partial to giving a stranger his name, however, this was the person who helped him out when he was delirious. It would be rude to not reply. "Wei . . ." He replied.

"Wei?" Shu Ru blinked before a smile crossed his face. "Wei, huh? Well then, I'll call you Wei-Wei. It's a cute name for a cute kid." He said. Wei Ying just nodded impassively, he didn't have the energy to care what he was called anymore. Shu Ru's smile briefly faltered before smoothing itself out. "You can stay here for the time being. It'll be nice to have someone else to talk to now. I don't live close . . ." Wei Ying let Shu Ru's pleasant voice wash over him until he fell back to sleep.

Shu Ru, upon seeing this, sighed. This kid was probably a recent orphan given by how lifeless he looked. His parents must have met a pair of bandits, causing them to make him run to safety while they held them off. It's only pure willpower that kept him alive up until now. Shu Ru gazed at the flute and pendant Wei-Wei was clutching in his sleep and felt pity for him. The world was truly cruel for taking his parents away from him. 

* * *

It took little time for Wei-Wei to recover from his delirious state. When he did, Shu Ru mentally debated on whether to take him to his job or not. On one hand, leaving Wei-Wei alone was a bad idea since he just recently lost his parents. On the other hand, his job wasn't child-friendly. It took only a few minutes of indecision before Shu Ru decided to take Wei-Wei to his job. He was worried that Wei-Wei might let himself starve to death. It wouldn't be the first time that Shu Ru witnessed a child kill themselves due to grief. Many children's parents often died in Liaocheng either due to the evil creatures that lurked nearby or the terrain. Shu Ru didn't want to see the same happen to Wei-Wei. And so, he took him to work.

Wei Ying held loosely onto Shu Ru's hand as he guided him to his workspace. His other hand caressed his father's flute on his belt, his mother's pendant swinging around with every step he took.  Wei Ying stared straight ahead. He showed no interest in the market place he went through, his mind far away. It was only when they stopped nearby a brothel that Wei Ying deigned to actually show interest in where he was now. His hand gripped on tightly to the flute, the smell of perfumes and sex in the air made him feel nauseated.

Shu Ru led him to a side door of the brothel and inside he saw a woman in pink leaning on the doorway. Her face was caked in white powder and her eyebrows were simply two smeared dots on her forehead. Her lips were painted a deep red in contrast to the soft floral pink that surrounded her eyes. Her pink dress was tied loosely to her frame, allowing copious amounts of skin to be shown. She breathed in from a bamboo pipe, then breathed out gray smoke. Her husky voice asked Shu Ru, "Whose the kid?"

Wei Ying stiffened and leaned into Shu Ru, hiding from the woman's shrewd eyes. Shu Ru smiled and patted his head. "This is . . . Wei-Wei. He's staying with me. I was wondering if you could look after him while I did my shift. I don't want him to be alone." He asked. The woman breathed out a puff of smoke before answering. "The boss isn't going to like this, Shu Ru. But sure, I can watch him. I owe you from last night anyways." Shu Ru's shoulders relaxed upon hearing this. The woman then, once again, faced Wei Ying and tilted her head towards the door. "The kid can wait in the backroom. Hurry up. One of your regulars is coming today."

Wei Ying was taken into the room along with Shu Ru. He was pushed to sit in the corner of the room. That didn't matter to him, however. What really took up his attention was how Shu Ru was quickly ushered to go into a nearby closet and change. Wei Ying watched as Shu Ru emerged from the closet wrapped up in sheer red cloth with tiny peeks of sea green fabric showing. He slowly sat down in front of the vanity next to the closet and picked up a container of sea green paint. He carefully took ahold of a paint brush and painted two diamonds on his head, enhancing his fair features. The woman in pink grabbed his chin and turned it side-to-side examining for any imperfections. She sighed. "Seems that you don't need any white powder. Again. Go to the Dragon Room and your first customer will be there." She then shooed Shu Ru from the room, not giving him enough time to say good-bye to Wei Ying.

It was then Wei Ying finally realized the full scope of the situation he was in. His parents were dead. He was possibly being chased by a group of cultivators who wish to kill him. And his new guardian, Shu Ru, was a male prostitute. Before he could have a mental break down on the way reality was hitting him in the face, the woman in pink turned to face him. "Hey, kid. Shu Ru told me to keep an eye on you but I'm a busy woman. I don't have time to watch over you. Instead, I'm going to put you to work, got it?" Before Wei Ying could say anything, the woman in pink grabbed his hand and dragged him from the backroom into another room.

This room was filled with barrels of a sweet smelling substance, dust covering every corner. Smears of black were the only things on the barrels, along with some spider webs. It was obvious that the room hadn't been in use for some time. Wei Ying turned to face the woman in pink. The woman in pink gazed at the room before facing him. "As you can see, this room is an absolute mess. I need someone to help clean this up. Organize the barrels in accordance to its brand and dust of the cobwebs. Shu Ru will come back to pick you up." She then walked out of the room and down the hallway out of sight. 

Wei Ying had the idle thought of complaining about child neglect and child labor before he realized that he was in Ancient China. Wei Ying turned to face the room before sighing. He decided it was better to get this over with than to deal with the, frankly intimidating, woman in pink. He caressed his father's flute one more time before throwing himself head first into cleaning. Time passed while he swiped away the cobwebs with an abandoned cloth on the floor. Sometimes, Wei Ying would take snack breaks and drink from the barrels. Which is how he found out that the barrels contained wine. The taste was weird but, then again, it was wine. 

It was hard to think of anything else besides the back breaking work of organizing the barrels. In fact, by the time Shu Ru came to pick him up, Wei Ying was utterly exhausted with only half of the room completely clean. Shu Ru scooped up Wei Ying and gathered him close to his chest, hands fluttering around him in concern. "Wei-Wei! Are you okay? I'm so sorry that you had to do this. I promise that I-blarmft." Wei Ying covered Shu Ru's mouth, effectively stopping him from talking anymore. "I . . . want to come back." He managed to say before yawning. 

Shu Ru blinked in surprise at what Wei-Wei said. It was the longest he had ever spoken. He gazed down at the dusty child in his arms and saw how his small frame slumped against his chest with trust.

Perhaps . . . all Wei-Wei needed was something to take his mind off of his parents. 

* * *

Soon, Wei Ying got into a routine. Whenever Shu Ru had to do his job in the brothel, he would bring Wei Ying along with him. Once there, Wei Ying would do whatever task that the woman in pink had for him that day. Everyday Wei Ying would then be picked up by Shu Ru, too exhausted to think. It was the best coping method Wei Ying had to stop from thinking about his parents. One day, however, the routine changed. 

Shu Ru, instead of leaving Wei-Wei to the woman in pink for work, took Wei-Wei into another room. The room had panels with beautiful pictures of cranes and waterfalls in them. In the middle of the room was a smooth chestnut table surrounded by cushioned pillows of velvet. On the table were a stack of papers, filled with what looked like to be music notes, and a plain bamboo flute. Shu Ru sat down on one of the cushions and gestured for Wei-Wei to sit down next to him. 

Once that happened, Shu Ru picked up the stack of papers and placed it in front of Wei-Wei. Wei-Wei turned to face Shu Ru and tilted his head in question. Shu Ru briefly smiled. "Well, working everyday isn't really good for a growing boy. So, I thought that you should do something else besides work. You always carry around that flute with you but you never use it. So, I decided that I'm going to teach you how to play flute. After this, we'll also go through some calligraphy lessons, some math ones, and a few lessons on rites." Shu Ru explained. 

He was about to say more when the sound of sniffles brought his attention onto to Wei-Wei. The sight he was met with stunned him. Big, fat tears fell from Wei-Wei's eyes. His lips trembled lightly and he looked at him with a gaze full of emotions. His hands held his flute close to his chest, tears falling on it. "Wei-Wei . . . ?" Shu Ru called out uncertainly. Before he knew it, Wei-Wei launched himself at his chest. Shu Ru caught him gently and smoothed down his hair. "Wei-Wei? Wei-Wei? What's wrong?" All Wei-Wei did was sob into his chest, Wei-Wei's hands clutched at his robes as he tried to bury himself in his embrace. 

"Do you not want to do this?" Shu Ru thought that Wei-Wei would have been more happy to learn how to play the flute. Especially since he always carries it around with him. He didn't expect Wei-Wei to burst into tears, however. "No! No! I want to! I really, really want to!" Wei-Wei shouted. He quickly untangled himself from his arms and wiped his face. "I-I really want this! Please, don't take this away from me!" He asked in desperation. Shu Ru loosely brought his arms around Wei-Wei. "Ok, ok. I won't. Please calm down, ok. Let's just . . . let's just take a little break, okay?" 

Wei-Wei nodded, rubbing his eyes to stop the tears from falling. Shu Ru gently took ahold of Wei-Wei's hand and brought it away from his face. He then gently dabbed at the corners of Wei-Wei's eyes with the unused handkerchief he always carried with him, trying to not irritate Wei-Wei's eyes. Shu Ru was surprised by the almost violent reaction that Wei-Wei showed. It was the most passionate expression of emotion that he had seen from Wei-Wei yet. Usually, Wei-Wei would either be tired or uninterested. So, seeing this burst of life from the otherwise sad child was shocking. 

"T-Thank you." Shu Ru stopped dabbing to look at Wei-Wei. It seemed that today would be a day of surprises. First Wei-Wei shows some proper emotion since Shu Ru met him, now Wei-Wei says 'thank you'. Shu Ru's eyes softened as he gazed at Wei-Wei. Wei-Wei peeked at him through his lashes, unsure and shy. Shu Ru's lips curled into a small smile.

"You're welcome, Wei-Wei." 

* * *

After that day, something changed between Shu Ru and Wei-Wei. Whether it was the fact that Wei-Wei spoke more often or would call Shu Ru 'RuRu', Wei-Wei was no longer the same sad, quiet child that Shu Ru had found on the road. There were, of course, still days where Wei-Wei would stare blankly into space or not respond to Shu Ru at all, but those days were getting fewer in number. It finally seemed as if Wei-Wei was actually trying to live his life.

However, even with all this improvement Wei-Wei never once smiled. It often took a glance into his eyes for Shu Ru to understand what Wei-Wei was actually feeling. Shu Ru knew from the moment that he met Wei-Wei that Wei-Wei's face should be smiling. It was an expression that was especially made for Wei-Wei. But anything he did to make Wei-Wei smile didn't work. At this point in time, Shu Ru was very desperate to see Wei-Wei smile. He even began to fold paper cranes in order to make a wish for Wei-Wei to smile. Soon, the door to the brothel room opened. Shu Ru decided to push his thoughts to the back of his mind and worry over them another time. Right now, he had a customer to entertain.

While Shu Ru was busy, Wei Ying was practicing a simple tune on his flute in the corner of the backroom. In the same room was the woman in pink. She was applying makeup to her face steadily, already used to the sound of the flute in the room. She was about to apply her red lipstick before she stopped suddenly. She turned to face Wei Ying. "Oi, kid." Wei Ying stopped playing the flute and glanced at the woman in pink questioningly. "Why don't you ever smile for Shu Ru?" Wei Ying blinked. Out of all the things she could have asked him, that was the one thing she took notice of? Wei Ying shrugged his shoulders. He didn't know why he didn't smile. Maybe . . . maybe the reason he didn't smile was because his smile died with his family.

"Well, smile for Shu Ru once in a while, okay? He's been overworking himself since he took you in, taking twice the amount of work he would normally do to keep you well-fed and rested. He deserves to be smiled at." She said. Wei Ying opened his mouth before closing it. He . . . he never really noticed that. He never really saw Shu Ru look tired at all. But, then again, Shu Ru seems like the type of person to hide his problems away from people to stop them from worrying. Wei Ying also never thought about how he was well-fed and rested. He was always used to his parents taking care of that stuff that he never really cared about such matters. But if what the woman in pink said was true . . . then Shu Ru was probably stressed out, horribly. 

"Here. Take this basin of warm water to the Dragon Room. Shu Ru's probably finishing up and needs to clean up before the next customer comes." The woman in pink pointed at a basin near the doorway. Wei Ying nodded his head in understanding. He then walked towards the door and picked the basin up. After that, he walked out of the room and down the hallway passing by many other doors until he made it to an ornate door carved with a dragon. Wei Ying saw that the door was slightly opened and peeked into the room.

He saw Shu Ru entangled together with a man. Their limbs were pressed flushed together, the only sound in the room was of their heavy breathing. Sweat dripped down their muscles and their skin looked heated. The bed sheets clung to the moving form of the couple and their hair was in disarray. The light from a nearby candle painted a dark shadow onto their forms, making a sharp contrast to the paleness of their skin. All Wei Ying could see of Shu Ru was the upper half of his face twisted into an expression of weariness, his eyes clenched shut as if to block out the entire world.

Wei Ying stopped looking and instead went to stand by the door, his heart beating fast and furiously. He . . .  he has never seen Shu Ru working. Despite the fact that Shu Ru was a prostitute, he never really showed any signs of being one. It was only now, seeing with his own eyes, that Wei Ying could believe that the person who had been teaching him how to play the flute and write calligraphy was actually a prostitute. It didn't change how Wei Ying regarded Shu Ru but it definitely made him realize how hard it is for Shu Ru to take care of him. Selling one's body . . . its something that gnaws at a person, takes away their innocence. It's a sad situation. It isn't something most people would want in life, what most people would even choose in life.

The door opened, causing Wei Ying to be startled out of his thoughts. He held the basin close to his chest and stared down. He heard the man's footsteps walk away from the room. Wei Ying raised his head quick enough to see the man walk down the hallway to the receptionist desk out front. Once he sees the figure disappear out of sight, Wei Ying walked back to the doorway and looked inside. There he sees Shu Ru gingerly holding himself on the bed, his eyes still clenched shut.

Shu Ru took a few deep breaths in and out, trying to mentally wash himself of the phantom hands that touched him. He heard footsteps coming near the bed and sighed. He slipped on his usual smile and opened his eyes ready to tell the _esteemed customer_ (an expression used by prostitutes to address their patrons) that 'No, he couldn't spend more time with him. He's sorry but their time is up' but, instead, he saw Wei-Wei holding a basin of water staring at him. "Wei-Wei! What are you doing here?!" Shu Ru grabbed some of the bed sheets near him and tried to cover himself from Wei-Wei. He never wanted Wei-Wei to see him like . . . like this! This was too humiliating. For Wei-Wei, the child who looked up to him, to see him in this degrading situation. It was _horrifying_.  

"I'm here to help you clean up." Wei-Wei placed the basin on the bed and grabbed the cloth from the basin, dabbing lightly on Shu Ru's face. Shu Ru's face was flushed red yet all he did was stay silent, trying to pretend that he didn't just finish up business with a customer. Wei-Wei quickly and efficiently wiped Shu Ru down, showing no expression. It was only when he was finished that he decided to say something. "RuRu? I-I just want you to know that . . . I appreciate all that you have done. And I'm truly grateful that out of all the people that I could have met, that I met you."

Shu Ru glanced up to look at Wei-Wei before his eyes widen in shock. There, on Wei-Wei's face, was a smile. It was a small smile. Clumsy and stiff. It looked as painful and as fragile as broken glass. But it was the most beautiful thing that Shu Ru had ever seen. 

* * *

Jiang Fengmian was inside his bedroom, packing up all the things he needed for his search for the son of his friends, Wei Wuxian. He had already gotten into a fairly vicious argument with his wife, many words were said and feelings were hurt. Yet in the end, he still set out to go on the search for the child. The door to his bedroom was knocked on. "Come in." Jiang Fengmian turned to see his two children in the doorway, A-Li and A-Cheng. Both were dressed in outside clothes and had a bag by their feet. Jiang Fengmian raised an eyebrow.

"A-Li, A-Cheng, why are you dressed like this?" He asked. A-Cheng grabbed onto A-Li's hand tighter. "Father, A-Cheng and I wish to go with you on the search as well." A-Li said. A-Cheng nodded his head in agreement. "En!" Jiang Fengmian smiled in bemusement. "I'm afraid you can't go. Your mother will be lonely otherwise." At that, A-Cheng seemed a little uneasy. However, A-Li took the lead. "I know, Father. But A-Cheng and I wish to go. We want to help as well. Besides, A-Cheng and I will miss Father if he goes." She replied. "Yes! We'll miss Father. So you have to take us with you." A-Cheng stated seriously. 

Jiang Fengmian felt his chest tighten. Seeing his children's faces begging him to take them with him made him feel warm inside. However, he couldn't just take them all across China for a search. That wouldn't be the responsible thing to do. He glanced one more time at their faces before a stray thought drifted into his head. What if Wei Wuxian would appreciate being near other children? Jiang Fengmian knew it would be harder to search for Wei Wuxian, especially since he was most likely to live on the streets after his parents died. Street children wouldn't go near a strange adult, which is what Jiang Fengmian would basically be to Wei Wuxian. But children, Wei Wuxian wouldn't be as adverse to children as he would be to adults.

Jiang Fengmian sighed before smiling. "Fine. Fine. I'll take both of you with me." He agreed. A-Li's eyes lit up while A-Cheng jumped up and down the floor. "Yes! Yes! Yes! Father, can I bring Jasmine, Princess, and Love too?" A-Cheng asked. Jiang Fengmian briefly thought about saying 'No' since bringing puppies with them on a search was illogical. But then Jiang Fengmian thought that maybe Wei Wuxian would be more easily coaxed to come if there were fluffy animals nearby. "Sure. Sure. We can bring them too." A-Cheng threw himself into his father's arms, happy to bring his most loyal companions with him.

Jiang Fengmian sighed, certain that his wife would be even more outraged than before about the search.   

* * *

 **Extra:** Shu Ru's Backstory

Wei-Wei was sitting in Shu Ru's lap, practicing his calligraphy. He traced the elegant words with a shaky grip which was often corrected by Shu Ru. While doing this, Wei-Wei asked Shu Ru a question. "RuRu, why are you here?" Shu Ru hummed. "What do you mean Wei-Wei?" Wei-Wei huffed as his hand made another crooked line on the paper. "I mean why are you a prostitute?" Shu Ru bit his lips before sighing. He grabbed Wei-Wei's hand and gently lowered it down. 

"Why I'm a prostitute, you ask? Well, that will require a long explanation." At that, Wei-Wei turned to face Shu Ru. His face attentive and interested. Shu Ru smiled at his expression before his eyes drifted to look at the cranes in the panels. "I suppose I should probably start from the beginning. As you know, Liaocheng is a very harsh place to live in. It is up North near the borders of China. Liaocheng suffers the worst winters due to its location and also has to deal with the threat of invasion from any army who wishes to invade China. The resources here are scarce and many women and children often die very easily.

It's because of this type of living situation that concubines and male lovers are generally accepted here. Having concubines increases the chances for men to have children who might survive the coming winters while male lovers were a replacement for the women who easily die here. Because of this, male prostitutes were generally more desirable in Liaocheng. Unfortunately, Liaocheng doesn't produce many beautiful men and women here. It's more strength and survival over aesthetics.

So, instead, Liaocheng relies on bringing men and women from the outside here. I was actually originally from Lianyunqang. Many of the people there are beautiful due to the rich resources and wealth people had from digging up gold ores or having a booming business. My family was an old generation scholar family that relied on the wealth of the nobles of the Qi Kingdom. My parents were dead and the only person to raise me was my grandfather. However, my grandfather was sickly and needed very expensive medicine to recover. Because of this, I ended up going into debt trying to buy the medicine for my grandfather. Unfortunately, my grandfather died in the end. And I was still in debt.    

To pay off my debt, I was sold into the Black Market where I eventually ended up in Liaocheng. There, the brothel owner bought me due to being good-looking, and I ended up becoming a male prostitute." Shu Ru explained. Wei-Wei looked at him with sad eyes before hugging him. "I'm sorry." Shu Ru just held Wei-Wei closer, breathing in the smell of cinnamon from his hair. 

"It's okay. After all, I have you now."

* * *

 **Extra:** Shu Ru (Character Sheet)

 _Name:_ Shu Ru

 _Courtesy Name:_ N/A

 _Age:_ 17

 _Gender:_ Male

 _Species:_ Human; Mortal

 _Sexuality:_ Asexual/Aromantic

 _Marital Status:_ N/A

 _Personality:_ Kind. Compassionate. Intelligent. Gentle. Fragile. Graceful.

 _Likes:_ Poetry, Music, Calligraphy, Books, Wei Ying

 _Dislikes:_ Prostitution, Slavery, Pedophiles, Poverty 

 _Relations:_ Ward; Wei Ying

* * *

 **Extra:** Cangse-Sanren (Character Sheet)

 _Name:_ Cangse-Sanren

 _Courtesy Name:_ N/A

 _Age:_ 38

 _Gender:_ Female

 _Species:_ Snake Half-Breed; Cultivator

 _Sexuality:_ Pansexual/Demiromantic

 _Marital Status:_ Married; Wei Changze

 _Personality:_ Mischievous. Free-Spirited. Possessive. Headstrong. Outspoken. Independent.  

 _Likes:_ Spicy Lotus Rib Soup, Pranks, Family, Traveling, Her Husband's Music, Her Husband's Food

 _Dislikes:_ Triad, People Who Hurt Her Family

 _Relations:_ Husband _;_ Wei Changze, Son; Wei Ying, Parents; Yan Mingzhu & Baoshan-Sanren, Disciple Brother; Xiao Xingchen

* * *

 **Extra:** Wei Changze (Character Sheet)

 _Name:_ Wei Changze

 _Courtesy Name:_ Qian

 _Age:_ 29

 _Gender:_ Male

 _Species:_ Human; Cultivator

 _Sexuality:_ Heterosexual/Panromantic

 _Marital Status:_ Married; Cangse-Sanren

 _Personality:_ Determined. Hardworking. Reliable. Dense. Naïve. Pushover.

 _Likes:_ Family, Music, Traveling, Helping People

 _Dislikes:_ Triad, Evil Creatures, People Who Hurt His Family, People Who Hurt Innocent People

 _Relations:_ Wife; Cangse-Sanren, Son; Wei Ying, In-Laws; Yan Mingzhu & Baoshan-Sanren, Brother-In-Law; Xiao Xingchen

* * *

 **Extra:** Baoshan-Sanren (Character Sheet)

 _Name:_ Baoshan-Sanren

 _Courtesy Name:_ N/A

 _Age:_ N/A

 _Gender:_ Female

 _Species:_ Human; Immortal

 _Sexuality:_ Homosexual/Homoromantic

 _Marital Status:_ Married; Yan Mingzhu

 _Personality:_ Impassive. Calm. Methodical. Soft. Sharp. Powerful. 

 _Likes:_ Family, Cinnamon, Snakes, Roasting People 

 _Dislikes:_ War, Triad, Cultivation Clans

 _Relations:_ Wife; Yan Mingzhu, Daughter; Cangse-Sanren, Son-In-Law; Wei Changze, Grandson; Wei Ying, Disciple; Xiao Xingchen

* * *

 **Extra:** Yan Mingzhu (Character Sheet)

 _Name:_ Yan Mingzhu

 _Courtesy Name:_ N/A

 _Age:_ N/A

 _Gender:_ Female

 _Species:_ Snake; Celestial

 _Sexuality:_ Demisexual/Biromantic

 _Marital Status:_ Married; Baoshan-Sanren

 _Personality:_ Straightforward. Childlike. Cheerful. Silly. Sincere. Excitable. 

 _Likes:_ Family, Snakes, Cinnamon, Lakes, Monks, Shiny Things, Bothering The Jade Emperor

 _Dislikes:_ People Who Separate Her From Her Wife, Triad, Animals That Are Not Snakes

 _Relations:_ Wife; Baoshan-Sanren, Daughter; Cangse-Sanren, Son-In-Law; Wei Changze, Grandson; Wei Ying

* * *

 **Extra:** Xiao Xingchen (Character Sheet)

 _Name:_ Xiao Xingchen

 _Courtesy Name:_ N/A

 _Age:_ 25

 _Gender:_ Male

 _Species:_ Human; Cultivator

 _Sexuality:_ Asexual/Aromantic 

 _Marital Status:_ N/A

 _Personality:_ Friendly. Innocent. Sweet. Thoughtful. Pleasant. Competent. 

 _Likes:_ Family, Friends, Sweets, Humor, Helping People

 _Dislikes:_ People Who Hurt The Innocents, Evil Creatures, Hurting People Close To Him

 _Relations:_ Master; Baoshan-Sanren, Disciple Sister; Cangse-Sanren, Brother-In-Law; Wei Changze, Nephew; Wei Ying

* * *

 **Extra:** Wei Ying (Character Sheet)

 _Name:_ Wei Ying

 _Courtesy Name:_ Wuxian

 _Age:_ 6

 _Gender:_ Male

 _Species:_ Snake Half-Breed; Cultivator

 _Sexuality:_ Bisexual/Panromantic

 _Marital Status:_ N/A

 _Personality:_ Dramatic. Lovable. Outgoing. Smart. Earnest. Curious. 

 _Likes:_ Spicy Lotus Rib Soup, Pranks, Music, Spicy Food In General, Family, Traveling, Being Useful, Hugs  & Cuddles, Snakes, Learning New Things, Little Children

 _Dislikes:_ Dogs, Triad, People Who Hurt The Innocents, People Who Hurt His Family, Bullies, Pedophiles, Rapists, People Who Abuse Their Power, Abusive Family Members, Racists, Sexists, Homophobia  

 _Relations:_ Mother; Cangse-Sanren, Father; Wei Changze, Grandparents; Yan Mingzhu & Baoshan-Sanren, Uncle; Xiao Xingchen, Guardian; Shu Ru

* * *

 **Extra:** Heaven's Wrath

Yan Mingzhu _wailed_ with despair as she watched as her one and only daughter was ripped apart by wolves. She _howled_ and _cried_ as her grandchild was brutally pulled out from its mother's womb, its tender flesh becoming a succulent meal for the beasts around it. She _sobbed_ with a grief so powerful and raw that it made the very Heavens shake down to its core. She was uncontrollable in her anguish, reduced to the very animal she was in the inside.

Beside her, her wife _screamed_ with a terrible, frightening rage that had once brought down kingdoms and moved mountains. Her eyes glowed with a unholy light, demanding _vengeance_ for the death that had been brought upon those under her care. It was only the chains from various Celestials, that imprisoned her to the very Heavens, that stop Baoshan-Sanren from bringing her wrath down upon the very cursed world that took her child away from her.

It was only when the small form of their grandson left his hiding place that Baoshan-Sanren and Yan Mingzhu stopped their rampage. It was only when they saw their grandson stumble into the arms of a kind stranger did their emotions settled down. It was only when their grandson began to smile once more that Baoshan-Sanren and Yan Mingzhu came back to themselves. Still, their hot-white anger _burned_ beneath their skin, waiting to be unleashed. Yan Mingzhu gazed at her vulnerable grandson, her hand intertwined with her wife's, and spoke so softly that none but her beloved could hear.

**"I will Strike Down upon Thee,**

**With Great Vengeance and Furious Anger,**

**Those who Attempt to Poison and Destroy Our Child.**

**And you will know Heaven's Wrath,**

**When we lay Our Vengeance upon You."**

* * *

**Extra:** Pictures Of Red Light District And Shu Ru's Cottage

_Red Light District_

__

_Shu Ru's Cottage_

* * *

**Extra:** Map Of The MDZS World

_Map_

* * *

**Extra:** The Map Of The MDZS World (Kingdoms)

_Kingdoms_

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what are your thoughts? Any comments, questions, or rants about this chapter? Know that I will try and respond to each one.
> 
> ~ ApolloGeek27


	8. Missed Chances And Arising Problems

Ever since Wei Ying smiled, it became easier for him to show his emotions more. In fact, Wei Ying started to act more like his previous self. He began to talk more to people and play games with the children he saw in the streets. He even began to sing and dance like he used to when his parents were alive. It was almost like seeing a caterpillar turn into a butterfly. The previously lifeless doll began to act like a spirited fey child, always causing mischief or delight wherever he went.  

Along with his transformation, Shu Ru also began to change. Shu Ru had always been a polite gentleman, a kind person. But he never had that spark of recklessness that many of his peers possessed. It was as if his youthful flame was smothered by the harsh touch of the world. But with the inclusion of a playful Wei Ying in his life, Shu Ru began to laugh more, smile more. His eyes began to gain a joyful luster that all teenagers had, and his face began to brighten like a shimmering sunrise. 

Wei Ying was never seen without Shu Ru and vice versa. They spent most of their time together. The only time they were separated from each other was when Shu Ru had to service a customer. And, during those times, Wei Ying would reside in the backroom with the woman in pink for company. However, he also began to hang out with the other prostitutes in the brothel. In this particular day, Wei Ying was hanging out with three newly enlisted prostitutes.

There names were Lei Chan, Qiao Hua, and Fan Jia. All three of them were promoted from being serving girls to prostitutes and were currently taking lessons from the woman in pink. Because of that, they were often seen in the backroom where Wei Ying would usually stay in. One time, when the woman in pink had to do some work somewhere else in the brothel, the three ladies happened upon Wei Ying while he was trying to play ['Despacito'](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKTS95KOrOI) on the flute. The four of them ended up becoming fast friends, mostly due to their mutual curiosity and fascination with the other.

And so, it was with this fast friendship, that Wei Ying found himself sitting in front of a vanity mirror with three preteen girls bustling around him trying to dress him up like a scarlet woman. He was wrapped in robes of red, so thin that it seemed like he could rip it into pieces. His eyes were shadowed with a smoky gray powder and his lips were painted the color of pink rose. His hair, which had grown down to his upper back, loosely hung around his head in curls. Looking at himself in the mirror, Wei Ying thought he looked ridiculous. He was a boy wearing women's makeup. More importantly, he was a _six year old_ boy wearing makeup. Whoever thought that a six year old wearing makeup would look cute was stupid. Wei Ying looked more like a circus clown than a person. He would have complained if it wasn't for the fact that the girls were enjoying this dress-up party immensely.  

"Doesn't Wei-Wei look good in red, Sister Qiao?" Lei Chan asked, her fingers pinching Wei Ying's cheeks. "Of course it does, Sister Lei! But I still say we should have went with gold powder instead of gray." Qiao Hua replied, still looking at the various containers in the vanity. "Ah, Wei-Wei, you have such nice skin! How do you get it that way?" Fan Jia asked him, her hands rubbing his hand with wonder. Wei Ying twitched a little, the urge to pull his hand from her grasp was strong. Still, he settled it with the thought that Shu Ru would soon come to pick him up. Right on cue, as if the Heavens had heard his silent plea, the door to the room opened and in entered Shu Ru. 

When Shu Ru opened the door, he did not expect his three juniors to be crowded over the vanity like a group of animals trying to eat all they can from a dead corpse. However, that didn't matter to Shu Ru. What really mattered was Wei-Wei. Or, more importantly, what Wei-Wei was wearing.

Seeing Wei-Wei wearing his entertainment clothes brought up every single fear Shu Ru had for Wei-Wei ever since he took him in. It made him feel lightheaded, his hands grabbed ahold of the doorway to prevent him from falling to the floor in despair. Shu Ru _never_ , _ever_ wanted to see Wei-Wei in the clothes of a prostitute. He didn't want to imagine a future where Wei-Wei had to do the same job he had to do, to sell his body in order to live. He didn't want Wei-Wei _(bright, cheerful Wei-Wei who was just recovering from his loss)_ to lose his will to live while working a job that destroyed his pride and dignity piece by piece. Seeing Wei-Wei like that, as if he was already a _prostitute_ , made him feel sick.

"Wei-Wei!" He yelled in anger. Wei-Wei looked at Shu Ru with wide eyes, having never seen him angry in his life. Shu Ru glared at his juniors, causing them to flee the room in terror. He then rushed towards Wei-Wei and grabbed a wet cloth nearby, wiping off the makeup on his face roughly. "Wei-Wei! If you _ever_ dress up like that again, you will be punished!" He harshly said. Wei-Wei was stiff with surprised, scared to even move in the face of his guardian's rage. Shu Ru's hands were shaking even as he cleaned up Wei-Wei's face.

It was only when the last of the makeup was gone that Shu Ru realized that Wei-Wei was petrified. Looking at his charge's frightened face, Shu Ru felt a lump in his throat. He tried to say something, _anything_ , in order to reassure Wei-Wei but all he could do was let silent tears fall from his eyes. The tears dripped down onto Wei-Wei's head, making him stare at him with slightly shocked and confused eyes. Shu Ru gathered Wei-Wei in his arms and hugged him with a desperation of a man terrified of the future.

He didn't . . . didn't . . . he couldn't lose Wei-Wei. No, he can't lose Wei-Wei. He can't lose him to the same fate he was in.

"RuRu?" A small voice called out. All Shu Ru did was clutch Wei-Wei closer, his face buried in Wei-Wei's hair. The smell of cinnamon calmed his nerves but it also made him feel more pain. He won't let Wei-Wei go through the same thing he went through. He will _never_ let Wei-Wei's eyes turn glassy again, _never_ see Wei-Wei become a broken doll like he was. Because he _was_ a broken doll. He was a person who was stuck doing a job that was slowly killing him. He realized now, that if Wei-Wei hadn't collapsed into his life when he did, Shu Ru would have died unhappy with his life situation. Shu Ru _needed_ Wei Ying. He needed that bright light, untainted by the dark, in his life. And he couldn't, wouldn't let that light be tarnished. 

"RuRu?" Wei-Wei called out again, worried and scared. Shu Ru breathed heavily, his eyes still dripping tears. Shu Ru swore to himself that he would protect Wei-Wei from the life he was living. That Wei-Wei could grow up happy and loved, never having to degrade himself like Shu Ru did. He swore to himself that Wei-Wei will live a better life than himself. 

Even if he had to _die_ to ensure it.

* * *

Wei Ying was walking in the market streets, carrying a basket full of fruit back to the brothel house. His head was lost in thoughts of what had occurred in the backroom earlier. He had never seen Shu Ru become angry. In all the time that Wei Ying lived with Shu Ru, he never really got angry. Shu Ru was someone who was calm and gentle. He was the type of person who never let the trivialities of the world bother him. But, today, he actually got angry! More than that, he also cried. Wei Ying didn't know why. 

He asked Shu Ru after he finished his crying session, but all Shu Ru did was make him promise to never wear his service clothing again. He was also not allowed to hang out with Lei Chan, Qiao Hua, and Fan Jia again. Wei Ying would have argued against such a decision if it wasn't for the fact that he was scared of making Shu Ru have a breakdown again. So, instead of hanging out in the backroom with the risk of incurring Shu Ru's wrath, Wei Ying decided to go to the market place to buy the kitchen staff groceries.

And so, here he was, walking back to the brothel with a basket full of fruit held in his hands. Wei Ying was peacefully going on his way when he heard someone shout behind him. "Blasted mutts!" Wei Ying froze. He slowly turned around, his heart beating painfully fast. What he saw behind him were three puppies running in his direction, like a speeding train. His brain halted for a few seconds before starting up in a furious rush. Before he knew it, he was turning around and running for his life. His mouth seemed to have a mind of its own, screaming like there was a terrible monster behind him.

This screaming ended up catching the interest of the dogs and caused them to chase him like a game of tag. Wei Ying knew that he shouldn't be scared, shouldn't be frightened of a trio of puppies that barely even reached his waist. But that didn't stop the pure fear he felt for seeing them running after him, didn't stop the adrenaline pumping through his veins. It didn't stop the memories of running away from a pack of wolves that would, _did_ , rip his parents into shreds.   

Wei Ying spotted a tree up ahead and began to run towards it. He threw the basket of fruit on the floor and began to climb the tree, the dogs right on his heels. He almost slipped, causing his heart to leap to his throat, before he decided to use spiritual energy for the first time since his parents died to stick himself to the tree. Slowly he began to climb before he seated himself on top of a tree branch. When he looked down, it was like the scene of a horror movie. Three horrible, frightening beasts just waiting below him. Waiting for him to slip and fall to his death so they can feast on his flesh. The dogs just circled around the tree and barked at him, not leaving him alone.

Without himself noticing it, he began to cry. His screams turning into sobs as he was brought back to the horrible memories of _that_ night. His eyes were closed as he hugged the tree branch closely, tears falling down. His voice shaky and pitiful, calling for 'RuRu'. Unknown to him, a young girl and boy were chasing after the puppies. Seeing as the puppies were circling around a tree, the girl and boy were about to grab the puppies and leave but the young girl caught sight of Wei Ying. Seeing the terrified countenance of Wei Ying, the girl decided to help him out.

"A-Cheng, here, hold all of the puppies. I'm going to help that person down from the tree, okay?" She told the boy. The boy nodded while trying to hold all three puppies in his arms. The girl then walked closer to the tree and called out softly to Wei Ying. "Hello! Are you okay?" Wei Ying heard someone's voice call out from the barks of the dogs. He stopped calling for RuRu and opened his eyes, curious and hopeful that someone had notice his plight. He saw a girl near the tree and a boy few feet away holding all the puppies together. The tears stopped falling from his face once he realized that the dogs were held back away from him.

"H-hi." He said, voice cracking a bit from overusing his throat. "Do you need help getting down?" She asked. Wei Ying nodded, eyeing the puppies for a second before looking down. The girl had opened her arms to him, as if asking him to jump into them. Wei Ying decided to trust his gut and jumped from the tree branch and into the girl's arms. The girl was able to catch him successfully and even swung him around once before settling him down on the floor.

Once on the floor, Wei Ying wiped his face free of tears and began to pick the fruit that had fallen from being thrown down to the ground. The girl helped him and soon Wei Ying was holding a basket of fruit once more. Now that he wasn't filled to the brim with fear, Wei Ying was able to properly observe the girl and boy. The girl looked older than him with her straight black hair and sunflower yellow eyes. Her skin was sun-kissed and she wore a beautiful _ao qun_ (coat and skirt) in various shades of purple. A design of a beautiful lotus flower in silver can be spotted on her clothes, indicating her high wealth and status. The boy, who might have been the younger brother of the girl, also had black hair and sun-kissed skin. However, his eyes were the color of plums, the only difference between the siblings. He also wore a zhiju with the same color scheme and design.

"Thank you for helping me." Wei Ying said. The girl smiled. "It's fine. After all, it was our fault for you being chased up the tree. My brother accidentally let the dogs loose when we entered the town." The girl explained. At the mention of the dogs, Wei Ying slightly stiffened and moved a bit farther away from the girl. The girl seeing this movement frowned. "I'm sorry about the puppies." Wei Ying tried to smile. "It's okay. As long as you keep the . . . dogs away from me I'll be fine." It was then the boy scoffed. " _Da-jie_ (Big Sister), why do you have to apologize? It's this person's fault that they're scared of Jasmine, Love, and Princess. Their only puppies. What's so scary about that?"

Wei Ying felt his eye twitch. First, because the boy was being condescending. Second, because of what the boy apparently named his beasts. What guy names his dogs Jasmine, Love and Princess? "A-Cheng! Don't say that. Some people have a fear of dogs and it isn't nice to make fun of that." The girl said. She then turned to Wei Ying again. "I apologize for my brother." Wei Ying just grinned. "It's okay! After all, he's just a little kid. By the way, I'm Wei-Wei!" The boy sputtered but the girl ignored that and introduced herself. "I'm Jiang Yanli and this is my brother, Jiang Cheng." Wei Ying tilted his head a little to the side. For some reason, their names sounded familiar.

"I'm not a little kid!" Jiang Cheng yelled. "Oh, really? Says the person who named their puppies Jasmine, Love, and Princess. You're not a Disney Princess, are you?" Wei Ying said, raising his eyebrow. "Wha- Jasmine, Love, and Princess are good names!" Jiang Cheng rebutted, clutching his dogs closer to himself, obviously sulking. Jiang Cheng thought they were good names. Better than Wei-Wei, at least. Stupid Ghost.

"Uh-uh." Wei Ying seriously doubted Jiang Cheng's naming skills. He turned back to Jiang Yanli. "Well, it was nice meeting you! But I need to leave soon. Goodbye." Wei Ying then bowed towards the siblings. "It was nice meeting you too! Bye." Jiang Yanli then turned around to guide her brother and his puppies back to where they were staying. They had to get back to the inn so they could help their father search for Wei Wuxian. 

Wei Ying watched them for a bit before heading towards the brothel. What a familiar pair of siblings they were!

* * *

Wei Ying dropped off the fruits to the kitchen staff before heading towards the Dragon Room where Shu Ru should be at. However, when he got there, he didn't see Shu Ru. Instead, Wei Ying saw one of Shu Ru's esteemed customers, Lord Ye Qiang, sitting in the room. Lord Ye Qiang wasn't a very handsome person. His face was always set in an expression of haughtiness, his beady black eyes always glimmered with greed. His clothes were made out of high-grade material, but it could never hide the fact that his body was soft and round from overindulgence in wine and food. 

Lord Ye Qiang was one of Shu Ru's most challenging customers, always demanding his time when he was busy with something else. In fact, one of Lord Ye Qiang's most distinguishing traits was punctuality. When he asks for something, his servants must get it to him immediately. Otherwise, he would punish them severely. It was odd to not see Shu Ru there entertaining him. Usually whenever Lord Ye Qiang came to the brothel, Shu Ru would drop anything he was doing in order to tend to him so that he wouldn't invite his anger. But the fact that Shu Ru wasn't there . . . 

Wei Ying saw one of the few serving girls he knew walk by and flagged them down to him. "Ne, Sister, do you know where Shu Ru is?" The girl nodded her head. "Yes, Madam Hou tasked Shu Ru to help out in the Phoenix Room. Someone destroyed her 'Art of Poetry'. Shu Ru was the only one capable of fixing it." She explained. Madam Hou!? Wei Ying smiled and thanked the serving girl. "Ah, if it isn't too much trouble, can you please tell Shu Ru to come to the Dragon Room immediately? Lord Ye Qiang is waiting for him." The girl nodded before leaving. 

Madam Hou! Wei Ying knew Madam Hou. She was the head prostitute in the brothel. But, more than that, she was also the number one person who hated Shu Ru. Shu Ru was a very popular prostitute in the brothel. So popular, in fact, that the Boss favored him enough to allow Shu Ru to live away from the brothel. Before Shu Ru came along, she was the most popular prostitute. But ever since he came, she was ranked second place. Because of this, Madam Hou hated him.

Madam Hou always tried to make Shu Ru's life hell. It wouldn't be surprising that Madam Hou purposely destroyed her own property just so she could make Shu Ru late for his session with Lord Ye Qiang. Wei Ying bit his lips in worry. He peaked in the Dragon Room and saw Lord Ye Qiang scowl heavily. Wei Ying knew that by the time Shu Ru came back from fixing the 'Art of Poetry' that Lord Ye Qiang would be at the end of his patience. If anything, by the time Shu Ru comes back, Lord Ye Qiang might just go to the Boss and have him punish Shu Ru. Wei Ying sighed before deciding that the only thing he could do was stall. He turned to the door and pushed it open, ready to buy enough time for Shu Ru to get back.

Heavens, please let this turn out all right!

* * *

 **Extra:** A Father's Worry

Jiang Fengmian was worried. His children had somehow slipped under the watch of his disciples and were exploring the town. They were only supposed to have a temporary stop in Liaocheng before they went to Qinghe in order to search for Wei Wuxian. But given how he had lost his own children, this search was heading off to a terrible start. The door to the inn room opened and, to his surprise, both his children were standing there. Jiang Fengmian rushed to their sides and put his hands on their shoulders in concern. 

"Where were you two?!" He asked. A-Li bowed her head a little in guilt before answering. "We went to search for Wei Wuxian but the puppies got loose. We had to chase them down before we came back. Father, I'm sorry for disobeying your rules. But we just wanted to help you." She said with sincerity. A-Cheng nodded his head as well, in agreement with his sister. "Yeah! Besides we have Jasmine, Love, and Princess. People are really scared of them." Jiang Fengmian raised his eyebrow. "Really?" He asked in a bemusement. He knew that most people wouldn't necessarily fear the puppies due to their fluffy appearance. So, to see A-Cheng believe that must mean that he encountered a situation where someone _was_ scared of the puppies. Which was an amusing idea in-and-by itself.

"Yeah. The Stupid Ghost is scared of them!" A-Cheng puffed out his chest proudly, as if it was some sort of accomplishment. "A-Cheng!" A-Li scolded. Jiang Fengmian just chuckled and gathered his children in his arms. Both of them squeaked in surprise before relaxing in his embrace. "I'm glad your safe. The both of you. But never do that again, ok? The next time you want to help search for Wei Wuxian then tell me. I don't think it would be helpful to find him if we also lost the both of you, okay?" He said. A-Li nodded her head seriously while A-Cheng let out an 'En!' in agreement.

Jiang Fengmian smiled in relief before his smile turned a little mischievous. "Of course, I can't just let the both of you off from this little escapade. Your mother would be terribly angry if there wasn't any punishment involved." With that said, A-Li stiffened while A-Cheng groaned. "Father, can you please skip the punishment? Please?" A-Cheng begged him. A-Li just laid on him limply, as if resigned to her fate. Jiang Fengmian smiled even wider before administrating the punishment. 

He began to tickle both A-Li and A-Cheng causing them to shriek in laughter. The puppies that A-Cheng was holding got free and began to run around Jiang Fengmian in excitement. Jiang Fengmian was never the type of parent to truly punish his children. He mostly left that to his wife since he knew that he would be too soft on them. However, whenever he did have to punish his children, it would often be like this. Jiang Fengmian might have been a person who clung to the past too much but he also was a father, a father who loved his children. And he would always rather prefer to see his children smiling and laughing than crying. Though by the way that A-Li and A-Cheng act, it's very possible that he might be sent into an early grave because of them.  

Ah, a father's worry really is frightening.

* * *

 **Extra:** Green-Eyes

Madam Hou was pleased with herself. That stupid male prostitute was currently fixing her worthless gift that one of her customers gave her while Lord Ye Qiang was waiting for him. Everyone knew not to piss off Lord Ye Qiang, especially since he was one of the more powerful nobles in Liaocheng. But now, Shu Ru was making him wait. Totally unaware of the fact that he was doing so. Madam Hou would have giggled to herself if it wasn't for the fact that Shu Ru was in the room.

Oh, Madam Hou couldn't wait for Shu Ru to be punished. She bet he would be punished with a whipping. That would be nice. It would ruin his pretty little skin and take him out of commission for a while. The days he spent in bed would give her enough time to steal some of his customers and make him start off from the bottom again.

Shu Ru had this coming to him from the moment he showed his face. He should have never tried to seduce the Boss to favor him. _She_ was the Head Prostitute here and _she_ deserved to live far away from this disgusting place. Let's see how he feels now!

Madam Hou smirked. She was going to enjoy the next few moments _very_ , _very_ much.

* * *

 **Extra:** Songs Of A Flute

Ever since Wei Ying began to learn how to play the flute, he tried to recreate a few of the songs he knew from his past life on it. Among some of the recreations were songs like ['Havana'](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=is68rlOzEio), ['All Of Me'](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwQf_rOUiO4), ['Hedwigs Theme'](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-3tN-c6UwE) and ['Pirates Of The Caribbean'](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KImOn7OAMU). Most of these songs ended up coming out all right. Others . . . not so much.

Either way it was fun playing modern songs on the flute. Wei Ying really enjoyed it when he got to play for Shu Ru. The look of confusion and slight pleasure was interesting to see on his face. Whenever Wei Ying played one of those songs for him, Shu Ru would always ask him where he learnt it from. Wei Ying would always reply that he got them from the Internet.

The funny thing was that Shu Ru thought that the 'Inter-net' was a deity. Wei Ying never really cleared that assumption up, it was too funny to pass up. So, now, whenever Wei Ying played some modern songs for Shu Ru. Shu Ru would take him to a small shrine he built for the 'Inter-net' and give thanks to it for giving him these ideas. 

Wei Ying idly wondered what would happen if he introduced memes to Shu Ru. Would they be taken as Holy Teachings?

* * *

 **Extra:** Thanksgiving 

Wei Ying was thankful for a lot of things in his life.

He was thankful for his parents.

He was thankful for his grandparents.

He was thankful for his Uncle Xiao and Shu Ru. 

He was even thankful for his ability to talk to snakes, and Bitch.

And, despite departing from his first lifetime in less-than-ideal terms, was also thankful for having that life as well.

But, most importantly, Wei Ying was simply thankful for getting a second chance to live. Out of everything he could ever be thankful for, it was the fact that he could have the chance to be happy in his life. He wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. 

* * *

 **Extra:** Pictures Of Jasmine, Love, And Princess

 _Jasmine_ , _Love_ , _And_ _Princess_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what are your thoughts? Any comments, questions, or rants about this chapter? Know that I will try and respond to each one.
> 
> ~ ApolloGeek27


	9. A Dance Of Fate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Torture and Implied/Referenced Pedophilia

Wei Ying entered the Dragon Room and bowed down to Lord Ye Qiang, his eyes were focused on his white sandals. " _This lowly one_ (an expression used by people in social stations lower than the person they are talking to) apologizes for interrupting esteemed customer. However, this lowly one bears a message from _our house's_ (A prefix used when referring to elder family members) Shu Ru: He apologizes profusely for making esteemed customer wait and wishes to amuse esteemed customer with this lowly one's pathetic entertainment. Our house's Shu Ru hopes that by the time he comes for your session that esteemed customer would not be too harsh on him." Wei Ying softly said.

He kept staring at his sandals, waiting for the verdict to arrive. His hands began to feel sweaty but his breathing was controlled. Wei Ying didn't want to show even the slightest hint of nervousness. If Lord Ye Qiang saw that, Wei Ying would bet that he would be petty enough to say 'no' just to make everyone around him miserable. Wei Ying heard Lord Ye Qiang's robes shift a bit before he spoke. "Fine. _This lord_ (an expression used by people in social stations higher than the person they are talking to) will allow you to amuse him. However, if you fail to do so . . . " Wei Ying didn't need to know the rest of the sentence to understand the implied threat: 'If you don't amuse me, consider yourself dead'. 

Wei Ying breathed in and out. "This lowly one thanks esteemed customer." He then quickly walked to a drawer near the bed and opened it, pulling out two sheer fabrics of white. Wei Ying was inwardly glad that Shu Ru forced him to wear a white-and-blue zhiju today. Who would have thought that he would perform a dance for an arrogant lord? Wei Ying then went back to the open space from before and bowed once more to Lord Ye Qiang. Then with out further ado, Wei Ying began to _dance_.  

The sheer fabric spun around Wei Ying's moving form like flowing water, smooth and elegant. His eyes fluttered, only allowing the audience to see small peaks of gray in the storm of white-and-blue. His black hair swayed with every step he took, a curtain exposing his sweet face to onlookers. A smile played on his lips, mysterious and oh-so-beautiful. But it was when he began to sing that Wei Ying truly shined.

**You are an ocean of waves, destined to seek**

**Life beyond the shore just out of reach**

**Yet may the tide ever change, flowing like time**

**The path is yours to climb**

His voice was charming and mellow, a perfect match for the dance that Wei Ying was performing. It was like silk to the ears, soft and delicate. He resembled a graceful crane with every twirl and turn he took. His every move was airy and light, making it seem as if he was flying through the air. He was an enchanting figure in white, a child of the Heavens.  

**Thou seek the light with an outstretched hand**

**A divine beauty lies before you**

**Waking dreams fade away,**

**Embrace the brand-new day**

Unknown to Wei Ying, Lord Ye Qiang watched him with an unconcealable lust and greed. Seeing such a child, a child who seemed to have a spellbinding beauty at that, made Lord Ye Qiang lick his lips and eye the dancing figure hungrily. Oh, what a find! Lord Ye Qiang decided then-and-there that he wanted this child. He wanted this child very much. He watched as the child showed a silver of skin near his shoulder and felt his _holy instrument_ (an expression used by people to refer to a male's sex organ) stiffen in arousal. Yes, yes. Lord Ye Qiang wanted this child. _And he will have him._

**Join in my prayer- in my song -of birthrights and love**

**Come the sun, illuminate the sky**

**Pray that we may quell the dark**

**Dawn breaks through the gloom, white as a bone**

**Lost in thoughts all alone**

Wei Ying ended the dance with a bow, sweat clung to his skin making him glow in the dim candlelight. He breathed in and out quickly, exhausted from dancing for peak performance. Lord Ye Qiang was about to speak when suddenly the door opened and in entered Shu Ru. His hair was a little ruffled but, otherwise, he looked ready for work. 

When Wei Ying saw Shu Ru, his eyes lit up. He quickly got up from his bow and rushed past Shu Ru. Before he left the room, he was able to whisper one thing to Shu Ru. 

"I stalled for you."

Shu Ru was startled. He wanted to reply but Wei Ying had already disappeared down the hallway. So, instead, he decided to focus his attention onto Lord Ye Qiang. He gracefully bowed down and apologized. " _This humble one_ (an expression used by people in social stations lower than the person they are talking to) apologizes for making esteemed customer wait. May we start our session?" Shu Ru then smoothly sat down onto the floor near Lord Ye Qiang, pouring some tea from the low table in front of them into the lord's cup.

"This lord wishes to know who that child is." Lord Ye Qiang demanded, his eyes not leaving the doorway that the child left through. Shu Ru tensed, wary of his intentions. He quickly covered it up with a calm smile and lied. "This humble one does not know who the serving boy is. Our house has employed many people to help during our busy hours. But, enough about him, would esteemed guest not wish to be entertained?" Shu Ru purred out the last part. He leaned towards Lord Ye Qiang allowing his robes to slip down his shoulder and show skin. He laid his shaking hand on Lord Ye Qiang's forearm and fluttered his eyes at him, trying desperately to change the topic.

Thankfully Lord Ye Qiang, when presented with such an erotic sight, temporarily forgot about the child he saw and, instead, decided to indulge in his lust with the beautiful man near him. 

* * *

Wei Ying walked quickly out of the Dragon Room and down the hallway. He was still holding onto the sheer fabric he took from the Dragon Room but nothing, _absolutely nothing_ , would make him go back to return the fabric. Wei Ying did what he had to do and never wanted to do it again. It was an experience that he wanted to leave far behind, if at all possible. 

Wei Ying rubbed his forehead, tired. Not only did he have to deal with Shu Ru's mental breakdown but he also had to deal with dogs and a impatient lord. Today could be said to have been an eventful day. He sighed and stopped nearby the Phoenix Room. He took a small peak inside, only to see a very beautiful woman pacing back and forth inside the room.

Her black hair gleamed in the candlelight and her curvy figure was clothed in layers of golden silk. She bit her luscious, red lips in annoyance, her charcoal eyes narrowed in anger. Even if the woman looked vexed, her beauty was still eye-catching. It was just a shame that the woman happened to be Madam Hou. 'Evil is beauty, blinded to all faults'. If anyone matched that quote, it would be Madam Hou. 

Wei Ying was about to leave Madam Hou to her devices, turning around to leave the scene. Unfortunately, Wei Ying accidentally stepped on the sheer fabric that slipped onto the floor from his arms, his legs were tangled with them, and fell with a 'thud'. Wei Ying struggled to get up but failed.

The door to the Phoenix Room opened and Madam Hou looked down at Wei Ying in disgust. She was about to yell at the serving boy to 'scram' when she finally recognized who he was. It was that little brat that followed Shu Ru around! Seeing him struggling around, Madam Hou had an brilliant idea. She was agitated from Shu Ru ditching the half repaired 'Art Of Poetry' due to finding out that Lord Ye Qiang was waiting for him. She was about to punish him when his session was over, but it wouldn't be enough to satisfy her. So, perhaps, instead of punishing him, she could just discipline the little brat that he was so fond of. It would be the perfect retribution!

She smiled cruelly and gazed down at the frozen boy on the ground. "Servants! Come, take this boy to the backroom. It seems that he needs to learn some manners. Really, Shu Ru should have taught you better. Don't you know that eavesdropping is punishable?" Two servants came out from the room and approached the boy. They then began to drag him to the backroom with him struggling. Madam Hou walked in front of them, thinking about what she should do to the brat.

Wei Ying tried to escape the hold that the servants had on him, certain that Madam Hou was about to make his life living hell. She was a vindictive person who would punish people around her for the littlest things. Now that he was in her grasp, it was definite that he would be punished. Perhaps even more harshly than others due to his relation to Shu Ru. Wei Ying was soon dragged into the backroom.

It was dark and small, with faded paint on the walls and worn out rugs on the floor. In the corner of the room was a fire pit with a iron brand on the side of it. Madam Hou eyed the iron brand before she barked out to one of the servants. "Servant! Start the fire pit and heat the iron brand." Hearing that, Wei Ying had a bad feeling. He began to struggle even more, however, one of the servants grabbed a stone nearby and hit the front of his head with it, causing him to collapse to the floor in pain. His head began to bleed sluggishly, blood dripping down his face and blocking his eyes. All Wei Ying could do was watch in horror as the other servant went to fulfill Madam Hou's instructions. In no time at all, Madam Hou was holding a hot iron brand in her hand.

"Servant, take off his shirt and show me his back. I'm going to teach him a lesson!" She ordered. The servant who hit Wei Ying with a rock, did as they were told, and forced Wei Ying to discard his shirt and show his back. Not like he could do anything about it, still in pain from having a stone smashed to his head. Soon his back was presented to Madam Hou like a trophy, the lily-white skin all displayed for her pleasure. Madam Hou smiled with a sadistic glee and thrust the iron brand into his skin.

Wei Ying _screamed_.

Having the symbol of the brothel, a coriander flower, burned into his skin was one of the most miserable experiences in his life. The hot-white agony that sparked throughout his body was extremely painful, it was like having a knife wound on his back and someone was purposefully sprinkling salt and lemon juice in it. After one minute, _one minute_ , of the torture, Madam Hou ripped the iron brand away from Wei Ying's skin. Some of the skin was peeled off along with brand due to fusing with the hot iron.

A hoarse yell was pulled out from his throat before Wei Ying slumped to the ground in exhaustion. Madam Hou threw the iron brand to the side and looked down at the bleeding figure with gratification. "Servants, let's leave." She then turned around and exited the room, the two servants following behind her with nay a glance back. Wei Ying just laid on the floor, his body shaking from pain.

He didn't know how long he laid on the floor, his mind was blank. It only some time later that he realized that he needed to leave. Wei Ying didn't think that it would be a good idea for Shu Ru to know what happened to him, especially with the way he reacted when he was wearing a dress. So, Wei Ying slowly got up, his hands were unsteady, and stumbled to the other side of the room he was in. He opened one of the drawers in the room and pulled out some bandages and a container of salve. Wei Ying was silently thankful that he was taken to the backroom, it tended to house medicine when some of the prostitutes became hurt from their physical activities.    

He slathered the salve on his back, wincing with every movement. Afterwards, he began to wrap the bandages around himself. Once that was done, he began to consciously direct his spiritual energy to the wound, slowly healing it. Wei Ying would have used his spiritual energy when Madam Hou branded him, but it was still recovering from using it to climb away from a trio of dogs. He hasn't actively used his spiritual energy since his parents died, making it harder for him to control his spiritual energy after some time. When he used it to get away from the dogs, it was only due to fear and adrenaline. However, immediately afterwards, his spiritual reserves were exhausted. 

Wei Ying then bandaged his head and grabbed his shirt from the floor, putting it on once more. He took a breath, in-and-out, and wiped away the tears that was dripping down his face from the pain. Wei Ying had promised himself that he wouldn't be a burden to Shu Ru. Ever since Wei Ying first smiled to Shu Ru, he promised himself that. And he wasn't going to break that promise. Even if he had to hide this away from him, he would do it. Just so Shu Ru wouldn't worry. Wei Ying slowly walked out of the room, an excuse on the tip of his tongue, ready for the moment his guardian asks him why his head was bandaged.  

He won't be a burden to Shu Ru. He promised himself.

* * *

Shu Ru smiled as he left Lord Ye Qiang at the brothel owner's office. He was about to leave when a whisper of the conversation inside caught his interest. " . . . This lord wishes to purchase a serving boy from this establishment." Lord Ye Qiang said. Shu Ru felt his stomach tighten in anxiety. Lord Ye Qiang couldn't have meant Wei-Wei, could he? "Of course, which boy would esteemed guest like to purchase?" The brothel owner asked. "He wore a white-and-blue zhiju and . . . " Shu Ru didn't bother to listen to the rest of the conversation. Instead, he began to run away from the office and tried to search for Wei-Wei.

Shu Ru knew that the brothel owner would tell Lord Ye Qiang that Shu Ru knew who the serving boy was. He also knew that he would be punished by Lord Ye Qiang when he finds out. But that didn't matter. Right now, he needed to find Wei-Wei and get him out of Liaocheng, _immediately_. Lord Ye Qiang was famously known for his impatience but that was not all. He was also known in the Red Light District for purchasing beautiful people. Many of these people never got to see the light of day again. Fortunately for Shu Ru, he was too valuable for the success of the brothel. The brothel owner would never sell him to Lord Ye Qiang. But that didn't apply to Wei-Wei. 

Wei-Wei was simply a serving boy who had no value. The brothel owner would have no problem giving him up to Lord Ye Qiang, especially if he would get a nice pouch of money from him. The only way to keep Wei-Wei safe would be to keep him out of Lord Ye Qiang's grasp, which means taking him out of Liaocheng. That was the only solution since Lord Ye Qiang had a lot of power in the city.

His heart beat fearfully. Soon he spotted Wei-Wei, he was walking towards him with a bandage on his head. Wei-Wei opened his mouth and was about to speak when Shu Ru swept him off his feet and began to run to the back door of the brothel. "Hey- RuRu?! What are you doing?" Wei-Wei clutched Shu Ru's clothes and moved closer to him in alarm. Shu Ru opened the back door and began to run from the brothel and to the market place. "You can't stay here anymore!" He replied, he ran along the dirt path and to a gathering of merchant carts. 

"Wha- Why?!" Wei-Wei yelled in surprise. Shu Ru finally managed to find a cart that was leaving the city today. It was even going to Qinghe, which was lucky for them. He went up to the merchant and paid him some money to take Wei-Wei with him to Qinghe. The merchant agreed and soon left to finish his packing. "RuRu! What's going on?!" Wei-Wei asked in distress. Shu Ru turned to face Wei-Wei, he glanced momentarily on the bandage on Wei-Wei's head in concern before staring directly into Wei-Wei's eyes.

" . . . You can't stay here any longer. L-Lord Ye Qiang . . . he wants to purchase you." Wei-Wei's eyes widen in shock before the sick realization settled in. His hands tightened onto his flute. Wei-Wei then looked at him. "Will you come?" Shu Ru gazed at him with a sad, soft gaze. He knew that he couldn't run away. He was sold to the brothel owner. If anyone discovered him running away he would immediately be captured or killed. Their society didn't look too kindly on people with debt running away from their debts, or even servants who are bound to masters running away. Shu Ru could only hold Wei-Wei back.

Wei-Wei seemed to have understood what Shu Ru was trying to say with his gaze because he grabbed onto him with an iron grip. "Please, please don't do this to me." He pleaded, tears began to gather in his eyes. Shu Ru raised his hand and wiped the tears away, a brittle smile was placed on his face. "Never lose your smile, Wei-Wei. It'd be a shame if I didn't get to see it again." That was all Shu Ru could say in response. 

Wei-Wei began to cry. However, he listened to him and smiled. It was the same smile that Wei-Wei had given him the very first time. Shu Ru felt his chest tighten with emotion. He pressed a kiss onto Wei-Wei's hair and then placed him into the cart. After that, he handed Wei-Wei a bag of cash that he got from Lord Ye Qiang so Wei-Wei would be able to buy food for a time. Shu Ru didn't worry about Wei-Wei being too young to survive alone anymore. He knew that Wei-Wei was a strong person and that he would live to the best of his ability.

Still . . . Shu Ru prayed. He prayed even as the cart that held Wei-Wei began to leave the city. He prayed even as Wei-Wei's silhouette began to disappear from his sight. He prayed even as the image of Wei-Wei's crying face imbedded itself into his mind. He prayed even as the sky darkened and the Heavens began to weep tears. He _prayed_.

"Please . . . keep him safe."

* * *

It was a wet Shu Ru that came back to the brothel. His clothes clung to his figure, creating a very erotic picture. Yet, if one glanced at his face, they would think that there was a corpse amongst them. Shu Ru's face was pale and sickly, his skin so white that his blue veins were showing. His eyes were glassy and empty, as if all of his strength and vitality was sucked out from him.

When Shu Ru entered the brothel, he was violently slapped to the floor. The instigator of the slap was none other that Lord Ye Qiang. His face was red in rage. "You! How dare you lie to this lord?! You should be whipped a thousand times for such insolence!" Shu Ru showed no reaction, lying on the floor submissively. This, however, served to further enrage Lord Ye Qiang. He grabbed a fistful of Shu Ru's hair and pulled him up to his face harshly.

"Where is the child?! Tell this lord! Otherwise this lord will cut your tongue off, wretch!" He yelled. All Shu Ru did was gaze at him blankly, it was as if his spirit was no longer there. Seeing this, Lord Ye Qiang smashed Shu Ru's face onto the wall next to them brutally, causing blood to drip down his face. He then threw him onto the ground and began to kick him in the stomach. 

The brothel owner tried to stop Lord Ye Qiang. "Esteemed customer, please stop beating our house's Shu Ru! We still need him." Lord Ye Qiang shoved the brothel owner away and sneered at him. "You dare command this lord! You have a lot of guts. This lord will do as he pleases! Even the very Heavens bend towards this lord's will." Lord Ye Qiang then stepped on Shu Ru's hand, crushing his fingers. Still, Shu Ru did not give a single reaction. No noise of pain left his lips. All he did was lie on the floor, indifferent with the world. 

Lord Ye Qiang gave a few more bruising kicks to Shu Ru's chest before he stopped. "Servants! Take this wretch to my dungeons. I'll torture the answer out of him if I have to!" Lord Ye Qiang ordered his servants. They bowed towards him and then began to drag Shu Ru towards his estate. The brothel owner wanted to protest one more time but, looking at Lord Ye Qiang's wrath, he decided to quietly accept that he was losing his best prostitute.

Lord Ye Qiang breathed out heavily from his nose, his face contorted in an angry snarl. He will have that child. And if he had to break every single bone in the wretch's body, _then he will do that and more_.

* * *

 **Extra:** Fate

Jiang Fengmian peered out of the inn he was staying in, watching as it rained. It seemed that the trip to Qinghe would have to be postponed. He then glanced at the opened letter lying on a desk nearby and sighed. It seemed that the trip to Qinghe would have to be postponed indefinitely. His wife had just sent a letter to him demanding that the children come back home. It had already been a year since he began the search for Wei Wuxian and no sign has been shown of were he was. His wife wanted the children to come back home, tired of being separated away from them for a year. Qinghe was supposed to be their last stop but, now, Jiang Fengmian was pondering on just skipping the visit to Qinghe altogether.

He took a small glance at the bed, where his exhausted children were laying down, and decided that he was just going to go home. He would leave A-Li and A-Cheng back home and continue searching for Wei Wuxian by himself. It would be the best solution in the end. It would also lessen his wife's anger at him. Still, Jiang Fengmian was going to miss traveling with his children. It was fun taking them everywhere with him and exploring places with them. Not to mention, it instilled the spirit of the Yunmeng Jiang sect's motto in them: _Attempt The Impossible_. Still . . . Jiang Fengmian looked at the gloomy city and inwardly hoped that wherever Wei Wuxian was, that he was safe and sound.

Unknown to Jiang Fengmian, a merchant cart carrying the person he was just thinking about was passing by the inn he was in, heading towards Qinghe, the place that he had just decided that he wouldn't visit. If he had known this, he would have ran after Wei Wuxian despite his wife's protest. Unfortunately, he did not know that. So, instead, he carried on with his normal routine oblivious to the workings of fate.  

* * *

  **Extra:** Coriander Flower (Symbol Of Lust)

_Coriander Flower_

__

* * *

**Extra:** Wei Ying's Dance (Ribbon Dance)

_Wei Ying's (Ribbon) Dance_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the link for the song I used in this chapter. There are two versions. The song is called 'Lost In Thoughts All Alone' from Fire Emblem Fates. The first version was made from AmaLee, a very beautiful singer who makes covers for many songs. I would recommend you listening to her work. It's the BEST! The second version is just an English translation of 'Lost In Thoughts All Alone'. You can find the second version almost anywhere.
> 
> Version 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsz5ijRQvUY  
> Version 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENwFAmeWEYk
> 
> _________________________________________________________________________________________
> 
> So, what are your thoughts? Any comments, questions, or rants about this chapter? Constructive criticisms or director's commentaries? Know that I will try and respond to each one.
> 
> ~ ApolloGeek27


	10. Strength To Fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays~!

Wei Ying stumbled away from the merchant cart, his feet leading him nowhere in-particular. He had just made it to Qinghe and it was raining. His white-and-blue zhiju clung to his small form and his hair was wet. His eyes were red from crying and his throat sore from calling out for Shu Ru. The brand mark on his back stung from the cold rain hitting it.

Wei Ying kept walking, his hands clutching tightly onto his flute and the last thing Shu Ru had ever given him, a white pouch with a green ribbon filled with money. While walking forward, Wei Ying's foot caught itself in a ditch making him fall down. His hands and face landed in a pit filled with dirty water. The dirty water splashed onto his face, causing his appearance to look ragged.  

Wei Ying looked at his reflection in the dirty water. The child in the reflection had eyes that seemed dead with a face pale enough to be a ghost. Looking at his reflection, Wei Ying began to feel increasingly angry. In his chest, a roaring fire began to form, out of control and wild. Wei Ying was _furious_. 

He was so furious that he began to punch his reflection, splashing the dirty water onto his face and clothes, turning the white fabric into an ugly shade of brown. Every punch carried with it an anger and hatred that burned like the brand mark on his back. Soon, the punches began to slow down and become weaker. Wei Ying breathed heavily, watching as his distorted reflection began to form into the same child with dead eyes and a pale face.

Why . . . ? Why was the world so cruel to him? What did he do to deserve this? Wei Ying felt his eyes sting, his breath hitched before resuming its regular rhythm. He just- he just wanted to be happy! Why can't he be happy?! Wei Ying clenched his hands. Was it because he didn't earn it?! Was it because h _e was unworthy_ _!WHY CAN'THE **JUSTBEHAPPY-**_

Wei Ying punched the ground. His knuckles split open, blood dripped down his hands and mixed in with the mud. Wei Ying couldn't feel the pain, too numb to register it. The rain fell down onto his form, disguising his tears as rain drops. Wei Ying let out a choked sob and laid his head on the floor, blocking his reflection from his eyes.

Wei Ying remembered when _he_ was a _she_. _She_ was twenty-one years old. _She_ was a short, plump girl with wheat-colored hair and murky blue eyes. And _she_ was called Isla Petticoat.   

Isla was a people pleaser. She lived for what everyone else wanted, for what everyone else desired. Her mother wanted her to be the picture of femininity, so she packed away all her baggy T-shirts and comfortable pants under her bed for a box of make-up and selection of jewelry. Her father wanted her to be the perfect pre-med student, so she threw away all her music tapes and comic books for medical textbooks and a study plan. Her sister wanted her to be the cool and sociable big sister, so she stopped spending her time watching Netflix and drawing manga and, instead, began to show up at school parties and hang out with the popular crowd.

That was how Isla lived her life. As the closeted bisexual nerd. Everything she showed the world was what her family wanted. But it wasn't what she wanted. And, maybe, that was the problem. She only lived for others and not for herself. She relied so much on her family's approval, their support, that without it she would wither away and die.

When she went to college, she met her first, and only, love, Rachel Wilson. Rachel Wilson was a hardcore lesbian who dressed like a punk and loved rock music. Isla was never supposed to have met her. Isla was supposed to be the perfect model student, marry a nice man, and have children just like her parents wanted her to. But she met Rachel. And she fell in love.

Isla began to secretly date Rachel, hiding the fact that she was dating another girl from her family and friends. She did this because she knew her parents wouldn't have accepted their daughter to be dating a girl. Because her friends would think she was abnormal. And she was weak. Isla wanted to have her friends and family as well as Rachel in her life. But that was not how the world worked.

Rachel wanted Isla to come out to her family about their relationship. She wanted Isla to be proud of who she was. But Isla didn't want that. She wanted to stay in her safe bubble a little longer. Because of this, Isla and Rachel fought a lot. So much so, that Rachel wanted to take a break from dating Isla.

And Isla accepted that. Because she knew that she was hurting Rachel too, with all of this hiding. So, Rachel left Isla for a while. Soon, however, disaster would strike. And it would be in the form of a picture of Isla and Rachel kissing each other underneath a mistletoe on Instagram. 

Isla encountered that photo when one of her friends showed it to her. Many of her friends, upon seeing the picture, began to leave her. Saying that she was abnormal or that she was a pervert for being in the same changing room as other girls. Isla's social life went down the drain, utterly destroyed.

It became even worse when her family found out. Her sister refused to talk to her, cutting off all contact. Her mother was grief-stricken, believing that she had somehow raised Isla wrong. And her father, her daddy who would tease her and buy her whatever she wanted, was furious. So furious, in fact, that he cut off any payment he had previously given for her college, letting her flounder as a broke person. He even went so far as to banish her from her home, not letting her come back to her family at all.

Isla was utterly devastated. So, when Rachel came back, another fight came up between them. This time the fight was particularly ugly. With accusations from Isla to Rachel of ruining her life and Rachel replying back that she didn't post the picture on Instagram, that she only sent it to her family to show them who she loved. It was brutal. So brutal that Isla and Rachel broke-up for good, leaving Isla all alone in the world with no support.

Isla tried to live. She really did. She began to work at job to get some money and tried to join LGBTQ+ communities, in order to have the support she so desperately needed. But it didn't work. She was fired from her job because of her lack of experience. And many of the local LGBTQ+ communities didn't want to welcome her in because she broke Rachel's (one of the most popular people in the communities since she was a counselor) heart. 

She began to slip behind her studies in pre-med. She even became isolated from her classmates because of her previous friends who would spread nasty rumors about her, making her unapproachable to other students. The only person who was nice to her was her neighbor, the manga fan. But it wasn't enough for her. Isla lived her life on the approval of others. She needed the approval. It was how she was raised. 

Soon, the strain of her life began to weigh on her. And that was when she began to consider permanent sleep as a solution to her problems. She ended up going through with the idea, too tired and too lonely to care for the consequences.

And now, here Wei Ying was. Once again repeating the same fate of Isla. Of sticking too close to others, of relying on them, only to wither away when they were gone.

This life . . . this life was supposed to be different. Wei Ying wasn't Isla anymore. Wei Ying wasn't helpless, he knew how to take care of himself alone. Wei Ying wasn't rejected by his family, if anything, his family loved and accepted him. 

But here he was, with the same look on his face that Isla had before she killed herself. 

Wei Ying . . . Wei Ying didn't want to be weak anymore. Wei Ying wanted to be strong. Strong enough so that he can live for _himself_.  

And maybe, that was the problem for Isla. Isla wasn't strong enough for herself. And because she wasn't strong enough for herself, she wasn't strong enough to live.

But now . . . Wei Ying swore to himself that he would be strong. Strong enough so that he can never buckle under the weight of the world ever again.

And maybe, if he was strong enough . . . he could come back for Shu Ru. 

* * *

After that decision, it stopped raining. Wei Ying finally got up from the floor and decided to go shopping. He went to a medicine store, first, to buy bandages and salve for the brand on his back, which was stinging like fire ants biting him, as well as his split knuckles. He then went to a clothing store to buy some new clothes, since his previous ones were dirty from the rain. The store owner almost kicked him out if it wasn't for the jingle of the money pouch Wei Ying had. 

With the money he had, Wei Ying was able to buy a more suitable black-and-gray zhiju to wear. It was more suitable to wear in Qinghe because it didn't attract the attention of others, unlike his white-and-blue zhiju. He ended up discarding the white-and-blue zhiju, not wanting to carry it around with him. Especially since it reminded him of Shu Ru too much.

He also bought a red coat with a hood. Wearing the coat, Wei Ying felt like Little Red Riding Hood. No, that's not right. If anything, Wei Ying resembled Ruby Rose from 'RWBY' rather than Little Red Riding Hood. After all, he was an orphan and he had special powers that allowed him to fight the forces of darkness. He didn't have a scythe, however. But a flute and jade pendant might work out as a substitution.

After buying his clothes, Wei Ying tied the money pouch in the inside of his clothing and began to walk around. Eventually, Wei Ying found an abandoned shack in the city. There, Wei Ying took up residence. He fixed the shack up with most of the money from the money pouch, enough for him to be able to live in it comfortably.

Of course, since he had just used up most of the money to fix his shelter, he had to deal with the issue of food next. Thankfully, ever since he was branded, Wei Ying has been using his spiritual energy again. With his spiritual energy, Wei Ying was able to hunt for food in the nearby forest. And if he couldn't do that, he would ask some of the snakes nearby to hunt for him. Even if he got dead birds and lizards, it was better than starving.

He also got over his fear of dogs . . . well, he guess he can say that. He was able to tolerate dogs that were below the knee level. And by tolerate, Wei Ying meant that he can stand their close proximity to him. No touching or anything, just proximity. Heavens help him if one of those beasts try to touch him.

And another reason Wei Ying can handle dogs below knee level is because if they ever attacked him, Wei Ying would be able to kick them away from him. Not to mention, most of the dogs would leave him alone if he either hissed at them or threw them food to get them to leave him alone. However, if the dogs were above knee level . . . Wei Ying would run like his ass was on fire. It didn't matter if the dog was fluffy or nice, anything above knee level was a big 'nope!' from him.  

Another thing he did was play music for the common people. It was an easy way to earn money, which was usually put towards food expenses. All in all, Wei Ying was surviving. In fact, he was even thriving. Ever since he decided that he was going to live for himself, something within him changed fundamentally. It was a good change, however. Something that Wei Ying would need for the upcoming challenges and trials.

Especially if he wanted to survive the next few years. 

* * *

Today, Wei Ying was playing the song ['Take Me To Church'](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQIm-s6sh6I) on his flute. A great classic if Wei Ying says so himself. A crowd gathered around him as he finished the music piece, some of the people throwing coins into his open money pouch. Wei Ying smiled and thanked the crowd for listening to his music.

"Little Musician, I must ask, what is the name of that fine instrument you have there?" A woman asked, gazing at his flute in curiosity. Wei Ying tilted his head, surprised that someone would ask him that. For as long as Wei Ying had known, his father's flute has never had a name. It was always regarded by Wei Ying as Father's Flute. But now that someone asked, maybe the flute had a name. Like how swords have names in 'Bleach'.

Wei Ying looked at the white flute in his hands, his fingers gently running along the smooth underside of the flute. "Chenqing. 'To be heard'. It's named for how my parents met." Wei Ying smiled, remembering how his mother would say that the only reason she met his father was through hearing his music. The woman smiled. "Oh, how sweet. And that jade pendant? It is quite beautiful." 

Wei Ying then looked at the jade pendant that was tied to his father's flute, Chenqing. The jade pendant was in the shape of a curled-up snake, it's sapphire eye gazing forward in a solemn manner. The pendant was something that The White Lady had left for his mother, as an heirloom. It was proof that The White Lady had a child, not that many people would recognize that. As he can recall, the pendant was actually called . . . "The Serpent's Seal. The jade pendant is called the Serpent's Seal. It was my mother's." 

"Oh, I see. Huh, I was hoping I could buy a jade pendant similar to that. After all, the one you have is quite beautiful." The woman responded sadly. "Yes, it is quite beautiful. However, it is not as beautiful as compared to your smile." Wei Ying replied in a charming manner. The woman blushed a bit and laughed. "Hahaha! As expected of the Little Musician, you are as charming as the rumors say you are. Here, take some coins." The woman then handed Wei Ying some coins.

Wei Ying thanked the woman, watching her leave, before packing up his stuff. It was afternoon and soon the taverns will began to open. Which was bad for Wei Ying since most of the crime that happened in Qinghe comes from people in the taverns. And while Wei Ying can handle himself, he really didn't want to get the attention of the people who live here.

Wei Ying, after packing up his stuff, began to walk back to his shack. While walking home, Wei Ying passed by an open alleyway were he saw one of the many strays on the street who lived in the area, a girl by the name of Tai, surrounded by three men. All of the men were wearing a similar style of uniform, black-and-green clothing with a symbol of a golden dove, and all of them showing aggressive intent to her.

One of the men grabbed her arm and, upon seeing Tai try to struggle away from them, Wei Ying decided to act. He pulled the hood of his red coat over his head and tightened all if his things on his body. Then, without further ado, Wei Ying pumped spiritual energy into his legs and shot off towards the three men with an incredible speed. Instead of making his presence known with a shout, Wei Ying decided to surprise the men.

First, Wei Ying ran straight ahead and jumped off of Tai's shoulder, kicking the face of the person who grabbed her hand. He then flipped over and sent another kick to the man's head, causing his whole body to collapse onto the ground and become knocked out. The other two men still haven't moved from their initial positions, too shocked by how fast their leader was taken out. Which was to Wei Ying's advantage. 

After taking out the leader, Wei Ying headed straight for the second man on the right hand side. The man, seeing Wei Ying come after him, took a metal pipe that was on his back and swung it at Wei Ying. Thankfully, Wei Ying was able to dodge the pipe and, instead, use it as a spring board to throw a spiritually-infused punch at his face, causing the man to hit his head on the back of the wall and become knocked out.

When Wei Ying turned around, the last man held Tai at knife point. "L-look, I don't know what you are, but if you take one step closer the girl's gonna get it!" The man threatened. Wei Ying made eye contact with Tai, seeing the anger and fear inside her eyes, and nodded at her. Tai exhaled shakily before she snarled. The man, surprised, looked down just in time to see Tai bite down on his hand, causing him to throw her away from him.

With no further invitation, Wei Ying rushed forward and, with a swing, kicked the last man in the crotch. The man grabbed his crotch in pain before crashing onto the ground in a dead faint. Wei Ying took a couple of deep breaths, a little tired from using a large amount of spiritual energy today. Wei Ying might have started to cultivate again, but he was still out of practice when it came to using spiritual energy for fights. He mostly used the spiritual energy to heal the brand on his back and sooth the pain that would come from it.

"T-thanks." Tai said rubbing her neck. "Hm," Wei Ying nodded. One of the men showed signs of getting up. Seeing that, Wei Ying thought that it was perhaps best if he and Tai left the area. "Come on. Let's go. Those guys will probably get up soon. We don't want to be here for that." At that, Tai nodded in agreement and began to follow Wei Ying back to the shack.

Once they made it to the shack, Wei Ying seated Tai near a small, worn out table and gave her a cup of ginger tea. Wei Ying took a sip of his tea as he watched Tai drink hers. " . . . so, what was that all about?" At his question, Tai looked at Wei Ying in surprise. "You don't know?" She asked. At Wei Ying's shake of the head, Tai snorted. "Of course _you_ don't know. You're the darling Little Musician of Qinghe. If you went missing, people would be worried. And the nobles surely wouldn't want to have the people worried now, don't they?"

Wei Ying frowned at the way that Tai was speaking, which was a mixture of bitterness and anger, as well as the words she specifically used. "What do you mean by missing? And what do those three men that tried to kidnap you have to do with the nobles?" Wei Ying questioned. Tai frowned and took a sip of her tea before answering with a sigh.

"Ever since the new Emperor of the Yan Kingdom came into power there has been unrest among the nobles. Apparently the Emperor's younger sister, Princess Xun, was kidnapped by the Black Market. The Emperor is now going down hard on the Black Market, outlawing slavery and such. Unfortunately, the nobles that support the Black Market didn't like that. So now they are operating underground, kidnapping the strays on the street to makeup the bulk of the slaves on the market."

Wei Ying felt very surprised. The Black Market was the exact reason Shu Ru became a prostitute. It was an institution that had operated in every kingdom as a resource despite its moral implications. It has been part of the kingdoms ever since they were first created. To think that the Emperor was actually going to shut it down in the Yan Kingdom was surprising. Especially since the previous Emperor of the Yan Kingdom actually supported the Black Market. But considering the fact that Princess Xun was kidnapped, it made sense that the new Emperor would go down on the Black Market.

The whole situation was a little terrifying, however. After all, the nobles who support the Black Market were now targeting strays from the street. Something that was a bad news for the strays. Most people that ended up on the Black Market either became prostitutes, sex slaves, servants, or fighter slaves. Most children either ended up as a servant or a fighter slaves. A fighter slave was a slave that would end up in blood sports, competitions in which they would have to fight their opponents to the death. Then there were the few that ended up as sex slaves, mostly for the sick nobles like Lord Ye Qiang.

"Is the Emperor using the Qinghe Nie Sect as their Royal Executioner again?" Wei Ying asked Tai.

In this world, cultivation sects were either completely separate or totally integrated within a kingdom. The Gusu Lan Sect and the Yunmeng Jiang Sect are examples of being completely separate from a kingdom.

The Gusu Lan Sect, despite being stationed in the Chu Kingdom, did not adhere to the laws of the kingdom and are treated much like a separate entity. The only jurisdiction they have in the kingdom is in cultivation matters. Otherwise, the Chu Kingdom doesn't bother the Gusu Lan Sect in their problems and vice versa. Not to mention the fact that Cloud Recesses, where the Gusu Lan Sect lives, is on a isolated mountain separate from any city or town.

The Yunmeng Jiang Sect is also similar to the Gusu Lan Sect in that it doesn't adhere to the laws of the Qin Kingdom, are treated much like a separate entity, and the only jurisdiction they have in the Qin Kingdom is in cultivation matters. The Qin Kingdom also doesn't bother the Yunmeng Jiang Sect in their problems and vice versa. The only difference between the Gusu Lan Sect and the Yunmeng Jiang Sect is that the Yunmeng Jiang Sect's Lotus Pier is located in a merchant's town.

The Qishan Wen Sect, Lanling Jin Sect, and Qinghe Nie Sect were different in that regard. All of these sects were actually integrated within the kingdom.

The Qishan Wen Sect was actually a special case. It was not truly integrated into a kingdom so much as being a kingdom itself. The Qishan Wen Sect was not only located in the Han Kingdom but it also was the Royalty of the Han Kingdom. The main Wen Family can be regarded as the Emperor and his family in the Han Kingdom, and those who share Wen blood or were distantly related can be regarded as the nobility of the Han Kingdom. The Qishan Wen Sect had power and authority in every issue that the Han Kingdom had. The only reason the Han Kingdom was called 'Han' instead of 'Wen' was because Wen Mao, the first Sect Leader of the Qishan Wen Sect, named the kingdom after his wife, Han Ai.

The Lanling Jin Sect is a part of the Qi Kingdom's nobility. They adhere to the kingdoms laws unlike the Gusu Lan Sect and Yunmeng Jiang Sect. They also have power when it comes to any issue that is brought up in the Qi Kingdom and they have full authority in all cultivation matters there. And the Lanling Jin Sect is generally treated as a power equal to that of the Royal Family in the Qi Kingdom.

The Qinghe Nie Sect also follows the Lanling Jin Sect in that regard. They adhere to the kingdoms laws. They have full authority in all cultivation matters there. And they are generally treated as a power equal to that of the Royal Family in the Yan Kingdom. However, unlike the Lanling Jin Sect, the Qinghe Nie Sect is not part of the nobility but, is instead, the Royal Executioner of the Yan Kingdom. While the Qinghe Nie Sect can have power when it comes to any issue that is brought up in the Yan Kingdom, they mostly deal with issues of the law and justice system as the Royal Executioners. And as the Royal Executioners, they have full authority to take away the lands and title of any noble if they go against the Crown.

Tai nodded her head. "Yes. The Emperor is using the Qinghe Nie Sect as their Royal Executioner again. It's why the nobles are targeting the strays now. No one is going to miss us when we're gone." Wei Ying bit his lip at that. He knew that was true. Strays were the easiest target for people to kidnap because no one would notice them missing. Thankfully, Wei Ying had a bit of a reputation so none of the nobles would be able to kidnap him without the Qinghe Nie Sect getting ahold of their trail. Still . . . 

"You can stay here for the night. It's not safe for you outside." Wei Ying offered. All Tai did was nod her head and sip her tea. Wei Ying also sipped his tea, thinking that the situation in Qinghe was about to become a little more troublesome. 

* * *

Soon, Wei Ying went back to his usual routine. However, instead of being alone, Tai usually accompanied him. She never did leave, mostly because he would always insist for her to stay due to the kidnappings. Along the way, Wei Ying rescued more and more strays from kidnappings, his shack gaining more inhabitants by the weeks. Wei Ying idly thought to himself that he should just start an orphanage due to the amount of children he kept collecting. It was honestly a little funny if no one thought about the fact that the children he rescued were almost kidnapped.

Wei Ying even began to get a bit of a reputation with the strays. He was mostly known as the 'Red Hood' because he always wore a red coat when rescuing any children. While he began rescuing the strays, Wei Ying also began to investigate the people behind the kidnappings. It was surprisingly easy to find out who was behind the kidnappings, but that might be due to the fact that he can have snakes spy on people for him.

The Black Market was surprisingly complex, with about ten to fifteen noble families in the Yan Kingdom supporting it. Out of those ten to fifteen noble families, one of them was the family of the future Empress and the other was the family of the current Royal Advisor. Wei Ying knew that if this news reached the Emperor, blood will spill the streets.   

Wei Ying even found out where some of the important warehouses that the Black Market owned. Not to mention, Wei Ying was able to find the main headquarters of where the Black Market operated in the Yan Kingdom. Surprisingly, it operated in a quaint little tea house at the edge of the market place. The fact that it was so close to where the Qinghe Nie Sect operated just showed how powerful the Black Market was. He didn't find out where the strays were taken to yet, but he definitely planned for that. However, before he could enact his plan, a strange incident occurred that would change Wei Ying's life forever.

* * *

Wei Ying was walking into the market place, his money pouch full due to him playing crowd favorites such as ['Happy'](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqIPJZ70khc) and ['Symphony'](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGwn9e2S1Tw). Today, Tai couldn't accompany him, too busy dealing with the rest of the children in the shack. Sometimes, it was amazing to Wei Ying that he was able to make enough food to give to all of the children in the shack. He supposed that the money he made as well as hunting for food contributed to it. Not to mention, some of the older children also helped out by growing a small garden or doing work for food. It was kind of like a mini-gang, but in a good way, not a thug way.

Wei Ying turned his face to the side and saw the missing poster for Princess Xun. Princess Xun was a very beautiful girl with brown hair and brown eyes. She had a soft quality about her that didn't diminish her royal bearing at all. Looking at the picture, Wei Ying wondered if his little sibling would have been as beautiful as Princess Xun. Thinking such thoughts sometimes made Wei Ying feel guilty, so he decided to, instead, focus on ruining some more kidnappings. 

Wei Ying went into an alley way and pumped his spiritual energy through his legs. He then began to walk up the wall, vertically, until he reached the roof. Once on the roof, Wei Ying began to move forward, looking down at the roads to see if any other children were getting kidnapped. While jumping from roof to roof, Wei Ying was able to spot a little girl lost in the crowd. The little girl began to wander into an alley way, behind her were two men with the same symbol of the golden dove that the Black Market members wore.

Wei Ying followed the trio from the rooftop and saw the two men grab the girl. Looking at the scene, Wei Ying cracked his knuckles before jumping down from the roof and onto the head of one of the men in the alley way. With his sudden appearance, the men panicked, dropping the girl on the floor. Wei Ying jumped off the head of the man he landed on and did a double axe kick on the other man's head. This caused the man to collapse to the floor knocked out, his nose broken and blood dripping down his face.

Wei Ying then did a backwards flip in the air and landed on the floor. By that time, the other man was able to get a wooden board and tried to smash his face into the wall. Wei Ying dodged the wooden board by bending backwards. He then straightened himself up and quickly gathered spiritual energy in his diaphragm. Wei Ying took a deep breath in before spitting the spiritual energy, the spiritual energy transforming into a water bullet. The water bullet hit the man and made him crash into the brick wall behind him, knocking him unconscious.

A second later, Wei Ying could feel himself breaking through to the Third Layer of the Foundation Establishment Stage, the large amount of spiritual energy Wei Ying used to rip-off a 'Naruto' move causing him to level up. His body briefly glowed with the charged spiritual energy before settling down with a tingling sensation. Wei Ying was very happy that the water bullet worked, especially since that was the first time he even attempted to perform it. When Wei Ying was with his parents, he only learned how to identify evil creatures, hunt for food, and use talismans. Spiritual energy attacks were supposed to wait until his little sibling was born. But, that never happened . . .  

Wei Ying then turned to look at the girl still sitting on the floor, surprise written all over her face. The girl wore a expensive looking zhiju, the delicate bronze highlights in the leaf green and sunshine yellow clothes gave off an aura of a young pampered mistress. The girl had soft-looking brown hair with eyes the color of bronze, matching her clothes. Her face was slightly chubby, giving an indication that the girl was younger than Wei Ying. All-in-all, Wei Ying had probably just saved the life of a noble child from getting kidnapped.

"Are you okay, miss?" Wei Ying asked the girl in concern. Noble kids would probably not respond to kidnapping attempts as well as strays would, so it would be better to adopt a gentle and soothing tone. The girl stared at him for some time, her mouth opening and closing in shock. "Miss . . . ?" Wei Ying trailed off. It was only then that the girl decided to respond.

"M-miss? I'm a boy!"

* * *

 **Extra:** An Uncle's Worry

Xiao Xingchen was gazing at the stall full of spices, amazed at the variety of them. He and Song Lan were currently buying groceries in order to make food at the inn room. It was something that Song Lan had promised to teach him about, especially since everyone he knew, except Ying'er, was a good cook. 

Xiao Xingchen was about to ask the stall owner about the bright red powder next to the garlic basket when a stray piece of a conversation floated into his ears.

" . . . can't believe . . . Cangse-Sanren . . . dead . . . child . . . Yunmeng Jiang Sect . . ."

Xiao Xingchen stopped his appraisal of the spices and, instead, turned to face the people who were talking. "Excuse me. I couldn't but help overhearing your conversation. I would like to inquire what it was you were talking about." Xiao Xingchen asked. The two people who were talking, merchants from Shangqiu, turned to face him.  

"Oh, sure! Apparently the famous Wild Beauty, Cangse-Sanren, and the Silver Saint, her husband Wei Changze, died in a night hunt! Not only that, but the Wild Beauty was pregnant when she met her end. Such a shame." 

At that Xiao Xingchen felt his whole body freeze in shock. No . . . no. Cangse-jie can't die. Wei-ge can't die. T-they can't die. Ying'er . . . Xiao Xingchen eyes widen. He grabbed one of the merchants roughly and asked him, "What about their son?! What happened to their son?!"

The merchant was surprised and a little shaken, however, he answered seeing the desperation on Xiao Xingchen's face. " . . . No one knows what happened to their son. Some people think that he is still alive right now. The Yunmeng Jiang Sect is actually looking for him. That's all I can tell you." At hearing that, Xiao Xingchen let go of the merchant and took a few steps away from them. He took a deep breath in, and then shakily let out a sigh. 

"Thank you for that information." Xiao Xingchen bowed to the merchants before leaving the stall, heading towards where Song Lan was. He was walking quickly, his head spinning around with only one thought.

He . . . he needed to find him. He needed to find Ying'er!

* * *

 **Extra:** Christmas (Cangse-Sanren, Wei Changze, And Wei Ying Edition)

Wei Changze glanced at the bed that held the forms of his most beloved people. Cangse-Sanren was curled around A-Ying, pillows and blankets covering their slumbering form. Winter had came early this year. The small family of three were currently staying in a local inn, settled down for the winter.

Wei Changze was a little worried about how quiet and tired his wife and child were, but Cangse-Sanren had explained it as a snake half-breed thing. Apparently, during the winter, snakes would go into a hibernation mode, burrowing themselves underground for warmth. Since Cangse-Sanren and A-Ying were only snake half-breeds, they would only be more tired and inactive during winter. Coming spring, however, his wife and child would go back to their overenergetic selves again.

Cangse-Sanren moved a little from her curled position, her eyes slowly opening up. She glanced to the side, seeing Wei Changze looking at her and A-Ying with a soft gaze. "Awake?" Wei Changze asked her. Cangse-Sanren hummed a little, still feeling sleepy. Wei Changze chuckled at how cute his wife looked, her hair a wild mess with her droopy eyes.

Cangse-Sanren lifted the blanket, inviting Wei Changze to come back to bed with her and A-Ying. Wei Changze smiled before slowly moving inside the blanket. He settled close by A-Ying, brushing off a stray piece of hair from A-Ying's eye. He then looked at Cangse-Sanren and gave her a chaste kiss.

Cangse-Sanren smiled into the kiss before breaking away. She then settled herself near A-Ying, pulling him closer into her arms. Wei Changze embraced both his wife and son before slowly going to sleep with his wife.

Unknown to both, Wei Ying was actually awake. He was just too lazy to bother with opening his eyes or responding. So, when he felt his parents fall asleep, all he did was clutch their hands and cuddle closer. A peaceful smile slipped onto his face as his parents surrounded him with their warmth.

This was a nice way to spend Christmas. 

* * *

**Extra:** Christmas (Shu Ru  & Wei Ying Edition)

Shu Ru smiled as he saw Wei-Wei play in the snow. It was just a few months after Wei-Wei had first smiled at him but he was recovering just fine. Currently, Wei-Wei was making animal shapes in the ground. One impressive animal shape Wei-Wei made was of a white snake, as big as a chair. 

Wei-Wei turned to Shu Ru and waved to him. Shu Ru waved back from his place in the hut. He was covered in a fur blanket, given to him by one of his customers. Shu Ru sighed as Wei-Wei fell into the snow, making his heavy fur coat slightly damp. Shu Ru was going to have to find a way to wash it but, for now, he was going to enjoy the sight of Wei-Wei playing happily in the snow.

Wei Ying watched as Shu Ru took a sip from his steaming cup of tea, his ears and nose turning red from the cold. Usually, during this time of year, Wei Ying would also be curled up in a blanket inside a room. Despite feeling tired, Wei Ying desperately wanted to experience a snow day. Whether it was because he didn't want to brood over his parent's and little sibling's death or because he didn't want to explain to Shu Ru exactly what he was, he didn't know. All he did know was that it was better to have snow fall on him as a minor inconvenience than have Shu Ru give him the only fur blanket he owned and get a fever from the cold.

A tiny snowflake landed on his face, making Wei Ying stare cross-eyed at it. He kept that position before a sneeze overcame him, causing the snowflake to fall off his nose and for him to fall on the ground. 

"Wei-Wei!" Shu Ru called out for him. Wei Ying turned around to see Shu Ru look at him in worry. "Come here. I think you had enough time playing in the snow." Shu Ru then got another steaming cup of tea and held it out for him. Wei Ying got up from the ground and bounced towards Shu Ru. Once nearby, Wei Ying grabbed the cup of tea and blew over it, cooling it down. He then took a sip of it and sighed, the taste of warm ginger tea soothing him. Wei Ying then plopped himself next to Shu Ru and watched as snow fell from the sky.

This Christmas was a little more sad but . . . it was something that Wei Ying was happy to experience. 

* * *

**Extra:** Wei Ying's Christmas Song

Here Comes Santa Claus

_Here Comes Santa Claus_

**Here Comes Santa Claus**

HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS

 

He's Making A List

_He's Checking It Twice_

**He's Going To Find Out If**

YOU'RE ON THIN F**CKING ICE

 

Santa Claus Is Calling You Out~!

 

You Better Watch Out

_You Better Watch Out_

**You Better Watch Out**

YOU BETTER WATCH OUT

 

* * *

 **Extra:** If 'The Path Less Traveled' Was A Movie Trailer #1

*Trailer opens with a close-up of a hand holding onto an empty pill bottle*

 _Narrator:_ It wasn't a car crash. It wasn't a murder. It wasn't a simple slip-and-crash.

*The close-up moves upward towards the smiling face of a young women who appears to be sleeping*

 _Narrator:_ It was a silent goodbye to the world. 

 _Narrator:_ Unfortunately, life is never so kind as to grant the wishes of those who want peace.

*Cuts to Wei Ying waking up in the inn room after the suicide attempt*

 _Wei Changze:_ (In The Distance) A-Ying?

*Cuts to Wei Ying slapping the head off of a Jiangshi* 

 _Cangse-Sanren:_ (Screams) A-Ying!

 _Narrator:_ And while there might be some bumps and bruises on the road. 

 _Narrator:_ That wouldn't stop Wei Ying from taking advantage of this second chance.

*Cuts to Wei Ying buried in the ground with Xiao Xingchen and Baoshan-Sanren watching him in the background*

 _Baoshan-Sanren:_   (Smirks) He thinks that all I have been doing is completely random and unexpected.

 _Xiao Xingchen:_ (Sweat Drops) Shifu . . . isn't that a little cruel?

 _Narrator:_ It all changed, though, when Wei Ying realized exactly what this second chance entailed.

*Cuts to Wei Ying realizing that he was in a manhua*

*Close-up of Wei Ying's twitching face when he realizes that he is Lan Wangji's uke*

 _Wei Ying:_ (Whispers) Sorry, Lan Wangji, but it seems that you won't get a wife in this lifetime.

*Cuts to Wei Ying as an adult running away from a shadowy figure*

 _Wei Ying:_ (Shouting) Bad day! Bad day! Bad day!

*Cuts to Wei Ying smiling happily at someone off of the screen, his hands holding his flute and jade pendant*

 _Narrator:_ This was only the beginning for Wei Ying.

 _Narrator:_ After all, he took the path less traveled . . . and that made all the difference in the world.

*Cuts off to the words 'Coming In 2018'*

* * *

  **Extra:** ['Grandma Ross' Vine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fQWvvWE9cY)

*Wei Ying stares at Baoshan-Sanren drinking tea before speaking*

 _Wei Ying:_ Are you happy?

 _Baoshan-Sanren:_ Yes.

 _Wei Ying:_ Are you cool?

 _Baoshan-Sanren:_ Yes.

 _Wei Ying:_ Are you sweet?

 _Baoshan-Sanren:_ Yes.

 _Wei Ying:_ Do you think that Mother is not stupid?

 _Baoshan-Sanren:_ Yes. 

*Baoshan-Sanren sips some tea before the question registers*

 _Baoshan-Sanren:_ Wait- No! 

*Baoshan-Sanren spits tea out*

*Baoshan-Sanren glares at Wei Ying*

 _Wei Ying:_ Hahahaha!

*Wei Ying begins rolling around on the floor*

* * *

  **Extra:**  'Thank You' Vine

*Xiao Xingchen helps Wei Ying collect arrows off the ground* 

 _Wei Ying:_ Thank you!

 _Xiao Xingchen:_ Thank you for thanking me!

 _Wei Ying:_ Thank you for thanking you for thanking- You know what. You can't out thank me! 

*Xiao Xingchen laughs a little at the confused looking Wei Ying*

* * *

  **Extra:** ['Duke, Do You Want The Ball' Vine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jzf3ToJbWHk)

 _Wei Ying:_ Bitch, do you want the stick?

*Wei Ying teasingly waves a stick in front of Bitch*

 _Bitch:_ (Excitedly) Hiss

*Wei Ying throws the stick off the edge of a cliff*

*Bitch slithers off the cliff to catch the stick*

*Bitch falls down the cliff*

 _Wei Ying:_ Shit.

* * *

 **Extra:** ['A Knife' Vine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6gBu2Zd7Bc)

 _Shu Ru:_ What do you have?

*Wei Ying runs around the corner with an unidentified object in his hands*

 _Wei Ying:_ A knife!

 _Shu Ru:_ NO!

*Shu Ru starts chasing Wei Ying around*

*Wei Ying runs around faster*

*Shu Ru speeds up*

 _Wei Ying:_ Hahaha!

*Wei Ying is having fun*

* * *

 **Extra:** ['I Want To See My Little Boy' Vine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgbGiExvqi8)

 _Cangse-Sanren:_ I want to see my little boy!

 _Wei Changze:_ Here he comes!

*Wei Changze carries a baby Wei Ying towards Cangse-Sanren*

 _Cangse-Sanren:_ I want to see my little boy!

 _Wei Changze:_ Here he is!

*Wei Changze then transfers baby Wei Ying to Cangse-Sanren*

 _Cangse-Sanren:_ I want to see my little boy!

 _Wei Changze:_ Open your eyes!

*Baby Wei Ying opens his eyes and gurgles*

 _Cangse-Sanren & Wei Changze:_ Aw~

* * *

 **Extra:** [Hetalia](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHn-EnLi_rU) Parody (Wei Ying Version)

Hey, hey Mother!

Let me sleep in!

Hey, hey Father!

Hey, hey Father!

The Spicy Lotus Rib Soup that I ate before,

I cannot forget the taste!

 

Draw a line, that's Chenqing

Draw a line, that's Chenqing

Draw a line, that's Chenqing

I am Wei Ying!

 

Draw a line, that's Chenqing

Look closely, that's Chenqing

Might that be Chenqing

I am Wei Ying!

 

Ah, with a single puff of breath, a wonderful melody can be heard

With a shout, I will sing! Wei Ying~

 

(Ah, I'm hungry. I want to eat Spicy Lotus Rib Soup!)

 

Draw a oval, that's the Serpent's Seal

Draw a oval, that's the Serpent's Seal

Draw a oval, that's the Serpent's Seal

I am Wei Ying!

 

Draw a oval, that's the Serpent's Seal

Start with the Serpent's Seal

Rather than break the Serpent's Seal

I am Wei Ying!

 

Oh recipe, with tons of spices, I shed tears of joy

(Too hot for everyone else!)

The portal to another world is fully opening! Wei Ying~

 

Hey, hey Shu Ru! Give me wine!

By the way, Uncle Xiao, let's meet again

Hey, hey Grandma, I am at peace

Hi, hi Bitch! (Glad to see you!)

Haha, Mother, please let me sleep

 

Hey, hey Father!

Hey, hey Father!

The Spicy Lotus Rib Soup that I ate before,

I cannot forget the taste!

 

Wei Ying! Wei Ying!

Little Wei Ying!

 

Draw a curve, that's a smile

Draw a curve, that's a smile

Draw a curve, that's a smile

I am Wei Ying!

 

Ah, with a single smile, the world shines brighter

With a laugh, I play around! Wei Ying~

 

Ah, in this tough world is a formula for happiness

With a hand, let's explore together! Wei Ying~

* * *

 **Extra:** Pictures Of Chenqing and Serpent's Seal

_Chenqing_

_Serpent's Seal_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what are your thoughts? Any comments, questions, or rants about this chapter? Constructive criticisms or director's commentaries? Know that I will try and respond to each one.
> 
> ~ ApolloGeek27


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